A 60-year-old man delivered a knockout blow killing his younger brother before throwing his arms in the air 'triumphantly', a court has been told.
Simon Clayton, 58, died after being punched to the ground by his older brother Brent, now 62, at the Waterfoot Social Club on November 23, 2024.
Brothers' night out ends in tragedy
Preston Crown Court was told the siblings typically kept their distance during nights out as disputes could flare up between them. Yet on November 23, they had met up while drinking in Rawtenstall and travelled to the Waterfoot Social Club, where Brent was a familiar face, together.
By 11.30pm the pair had been consuming alcohol for a minimum of six hours and were both intoxicated, prosecutor Timothy Cray KC informed the jury. Simon was so inebriated he was unstable on his feet and stumbled into a table as he returned from the toilets, the court was told.
Fatal punch in function room
The brothers moved to the club's function room together where Brent stood up and started shadow boxing, encouraging Simon to spar with him, Mr Cray KC stated.
Simon participated in the mock fighting but after he landed a punch, Brent responded with two strikes – rendering Simon unconscious, reports Lancs Live.
As Simon lay motionless on the floor, Brent threw his arms in the air in a triumphant gesture. Moments later club staff arrived in the room to discover Simon fatally injured, the jury heard.
Family's account
Emergency services were called and Simon was taken to Royal Blackburn Hospital, however he could not be saved. Mr Cray KC said Simon had 'a big old black eye' and had suffered a brain injury. He died in hospital the following day.
Gaynor Clayton, Simon's wife of almost 40 years said the brothers 'loved each other' but had shared a 'horrendous' upbringing.
"They were brothers", she said. "They didn't always get on but they loved each other."
Mr Cray KC said as boys the brothers had been encouraged to fight each other.
"They had to always go up against each other," Gaynor said. "One had to be better than the other one."
However Gaynor said her husband didn't like fighting and would never start trouble on a night out. Even when he was drunk he was more likely to become depressed than aggressive, she said.
Speaking from the witness box, Gaynor said she had been in a relationship for 40 years and married for 36. They had two children and would spend time with their grandchildren on a weekend.
When Simon went out drinking he enjoyed 'having a laugh and playing pool' before she picked him up at around teatime, she said.
On November 23, Gaynor said she had the grandchildren at home and spoke to Simon on Facetime around 7:30pm.
Brent also came on the call but the men 'seemed fine,' Gaynor said. "Simon didn't seem as though he was drunk."
However shortly before midnight Gaynor received a telephone call and was told her husband had been seriously injured.
Defence claim and trial
As Simon was taken to hospital Brent was arrested and taken to police custody. He claimed he had been hit first and Simon had 'chinned him'. He also claimed to have been headbutted but that does not appear on the CCTV footage, Mr Cray KC said.
"Whatever the background between the brothers there is no suggestion Brent had planned to hurt Simon seriously or kill him but by the end this was more than just playing," the prosecutor said.
"The CCTV gives an eye to Brent's claim that he was the one under attack and having to defend himself. We say he is the one who wanted to fight and when Simon landed that one blow he was not defending himself. He was retaliating in a flash of anger with real force."
"That decision led to the death of his brother. Self defence just doesn't apply."
Brent Clayton, of Taylor Avenue, Waterfoot, denies manslaughter. The trial is expected to last three days.
