A Manchester man on trial for manslaughter told police he fell asleep on top of his Grindr date for half an hour after sex, a jury has heard.
The Fatal Encounter
Josh Baxter, 28, is accused of killing Michael Barron, 38, after the pair connected on the dating app Grindr on 26 January last year. Minshull Street Crown Court was told they arranged to meet at Mr Baxter's flat in Blackley for a sexual encounter.
Prosecutors allege that Mr Baxter encouraged Mr Barron to drink a significant amount of alcohol, causing him to pass out. The court heard claims that Mr Baxter then restrained Mr Barron face down on the bed and lay on top of him for an extended period.
The prosecution stated that Mr Baxter strangled and choked Mr Barron with such force that it fractured a bone and cartilage in his neck. This allegedly led to cerebral hypoxia – a lack of oxygen to the brain – which caused a fatal cardiac arrest.
Events After the Death
Paramedics pronounced Mr Barron dead at the scene. Jurors were informed that after the incident, Mr Baxter ordered a takeaway via Deliveroo and messaged other men on Grindr.
The court also heard that he conducted an internet search, asking: "If you accidentally kill someone by strangling them in sex do you go to prison."
Detective Constable Jasmine Kennedy read a statement from Mr Baxter to the jury. It detailed how the pair chatted online, agreed to meet, and that Mr Barron brought a 70cl bottle of vodka. The statement claimed Mr Barron consumed nearly the entire bottle of vodka plus wine, and they later bought more alcohol.
Medical Evidence and Defence
Forensic pathologist Dr Jamie Robinson told the court the post-mortem examination revealed a fractured hyoid bone and thyroid cartilage in Mr Barron's neck. A toxicology report showed his blood alcohol level was 417mg per 100ml – over five times the legal driving limit and above the level typically considered fatal.
Dr Robinson suggested the death was likely due to a combination of factors: extreme intoxication, being restrained in a prone position, pressure on the torso from Mr Baxter lying on him, and compression to the neck.
In his police statement, Mr Baxter said: "I realised he had fallen asleep as he was making snoring noises. I ended up falling asleep whilst I was on top of him and I woke up 30 minutes later." He claimed he then discovered Mr Barron was not breathing and called 999.
Josh Baxter, of Lakeside Rise, Blackley, denies charges of manslaughter, intentional strangulation or suffocation, and unlawfully causing grievous bodily harm. The trial continues.
