Lee Sutcliffe acquitted of manslaughter of Darren Pudsey in York

A DOORMAN said his thoughts were with a bereaved family as he was acquitted of the manslaughter of a father-of-four.

Lee Sutcliffe, 39, was cleared of criminal responsibility for the death of Darren James Pudsey, 45, of Upper Poppleton, by a jury at Leeds Crown Court today (Thursday, April 20).

From the time he was arrested, shortly after he punched Mr Pudsey to the ground on April 18, 2022, he had maintained that he had only acted in self-defence.

“Unfortunately a life has been lost,” he said following his acquittal. “It is sad. My thoughts are with the family.”

Rail director Mr Pudsey died in York Hospital a couple of days after he was punched to the ground close to The Terrace pub in the city centre. He never regained consciousness.

Mr Sutcliffe, who was working in The Terrace that night as a doorman, went up to the police when they arrived in response to a 999 call.

When questioned, he said: “I am really sorry for what happened. I didn’t go out that night for this to happen. I was just trying to do my job and go home.”

He always maintained he had acted in self-defence as he had feared he was about to be attacked by Mr Pudsey and his companions.

Mr Pudsey was on a night out with his friend Paul Collinson and his nephew Kieran Pudsey, whom Mr Sutcliffe had ejected from the pub earlier in the evening on the direction of its landlord Paul Gardiner.

Mr Sutcliffe, of Buckingham court, Bishophill, York, was charged with manslaughter some months later, a charge he denied. He stood trial at Leeds Crown Court before the Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl, KC.

At the end of the three-day trial he was acquitted unanimously by the jury.

He showed no reaction to the verdict. Some of his supporters made fist punches but did not speak.

Friends and relatives of Mr Pudsey’s family had sat through the entire trial. They did not react to the verdict and left court quickly afterwards without saying anything.

The jury heard that The Terrace at the corner of Fossgate and Stonebow was showing a Liverpool v Manchester United match on its television screens on April 18 when Mr Pudsey’s group arrived at 8.40pm. They had previously been to The Windmill in Blossom Street and the Mumbai Lounge in Fossgate.

As they waited to be served at the bar, Kieran Pudsey chanted “Rooney, Rooney,” but chanting was strictly forbidden in the pub.

After he was ejected, with some difficulty, by Mr Sutcliffe, the three men goaded the doorman for more than four minutes outside the door before leaving.

An hour and 20 minutes later, having watched the remainder of the match in another city centre pub, they returned and again goaded him.

Darren Pudsey filmed part of the confrontation until Mr Sutcliffe took the phone out of his hand. The three reacted to what Mr Sutcliffe had done and he then punched Mr Pudsey.

Source – York Press