Pub owner was killed by an 'unsurvivable' punch to the neck while his back was turned, Lichfield murder jury hears

Billy Allison, 36, of Shirley, Solihull, struck pub landlord Matthew O'Gara, 44, with such force at the Ricco and Loren bar on Market Street, Lichfield, that the blow broke several bones in O'Gara's neck and split an artery supplying blood to the brain. O'Gara, who ran The Plough pub in Huddlesford, never regained consciousness and died in hospital two days later. Allison has admitted manslaughter but denies murder at Stafford Crown Court.

The punch was so loud it was heard over the bar's sound system, prosecutor Timothy Hannam KC told the jury.

Allison had been drinking all day and used cocaine before the attack on two men he had never met.

After fleeing, Allison swapped T-shirts with a friend and tried to pull it over his head to hide his face from CCTV cameras.