A drunk young woman who knocked a 58-year-old man unconscious in a horrific attack has been cleared of his death.
A murder investigation was launched after the death of Andrew Turner by Humberside Police. However, two experts decided that Kelsea O'Hara, now 20, was not responsible for his death despite it coming just days after her attack. HullLive reports that O'Hara launched her attack on Mr Turner after he didn't apologise for bumping into her friend.
O'Hara, who was 19 at the time of the attack, admitted to wounding Mr Turner on August 28 last year. But, she has been spared jail for the attack and was instead given a six-month curfew.
Mr Turner had been out for drinks with a friend in Bridlington, East Yorks, where O'Hara and four friends also were drinking. Prosecuting at Hull Crown Court, Andrew Espley, said one of Mr Turner's friends new one of the people O'Hara was with and spoke to them to apologise about an incident a few weeks prior.
Around 1.30am on August 28, Mr Turner was confronted by O'Hara who wanted him to apologise to one of her friends after he bumped into them. Mr Turner is said to have refused to do so.
"O'Hara threw her purse onto the floor and launched herself at Mr Turner, punching him in the face once and causing him to lose consciousness when he fell to the floor, hitting his head in the process when he fell," said Mr Espley. Mr Turner suffered a cut of five to seven inches on the back of his head during this and was bleeding heavily.
Mr Espley added: "He tried to get up when he regained consciousness but could not do so." Mr Turner refused to go to hospital when police and paramedics arrived.
O'Hara was arrested the next day. She made no comment during police interview.
"Mr Turner did not die until September 3 so she would not have been asked about causing his death," said Mr Espley. "The punch seems to have been impulsive and spontaneous and it was one punch."
There court heard there was no evidence that the death of Mr Turner had "anything to do with" O'Hara. This was confirmed after investigations by a pathologist and a neuro-pathologist. Dale Brook, mitigating, said it was a single punch and O'Hara had originally been charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent but she had denied this.
"She has expressed heartfelt and genuine remorse for what she did that night and what happened to the victim," said Mr Brook. "It has taken a substantial toll on her. She has understandably thought a great deal about whether she is the cause of what happened to the victim. This is a tragic case."
"She behaved in an inexcusable way, which had serious consequences for everyone involved. It was out of character and it is likely that she has learned a very painful lesson as a result of what happened that night."
The lawyer said O'Hara had "an awful start in life," and her father and former boyfriend had both been jailed for serious offences.
Judge Sophie McKone told O'Hara: "Mr Turner has since died but I make it absolutely clear that you bear no responsibility for that. There is evidence from two experts, a pathologist and a neuro-pathologist, who concluded that your actions did not contribute to his death.
"You were violent towards him. You had been drinking. You asked Mr Turner to apologise because you say that he had bumped into a friend of yours. It may be that he refused to apologise but that was no reason to resort to violence and punch somebody because you were not happy about that. It is absolutely no excuse whatsoever."
O'Hara was given a six-month suspended custodial sentence, a six-month 7pm to 6am curfew and 20 days' rehabilitation.
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