A man standing trial for the alleged manslaughter of a man he met on Grindr has told a jury he saw his date turn 'purple' after they had sex.
Fatal Encounter Arranged on Dating App
Josh Baxter, 28, denies unlawfully killing 38-year-old Michael Barron at his flat in Blackley, north Manchester. The pair connected on the Grindr dating app on 26 January 2025 before moving their conversation to WhatsApp, Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
Prosecutors allege Baxter was driven by a 'sexual motivation for high-risk sexual activity'. They claim he strangled and choked Mr Barron with such force it caused a fracture to bone and cartilage, leading to cerebral hypoxia - insufficient oxygen to the brain - and cardiac arrest.
'Rough' Fantasies and Role-Play Discussed
The court was told of explicit messages exchanged between the two men before they met. Baxter, who said he worked at Wetherspoons, allegedly told Mr Barron he preferred it 'rough'. He reportedly asked if he could 'choke him, tie him up, pull his hair, spit on him, call him names, get him so drunk he was weak and defenceless and punch him'.
He also allegedly enquired about 'rape role play'. Mr Barron, in turn, expressed a preference for being 'tied, gagged, hooded, totally helpless' and experiencing 'pain and torture'. Giving evidence, Baxter described these exchanges as mere 'fantasy' and 'role play', denying any intention to cause harm.
The Night of the Incident
Mr Barron arrived at Baxter's flat on Lakeside Rise at 4.27pm. Baxter testified they chatted about films and discussed sexual 'limits', with Mr Barron allegedly expressing no desire for a 'safe word'. They drank rose wine and vodka before going to a shop to buy more alcohol just before 6pm.
Baxter said they returned, began kissing, and moved to the bedroom. "That's when I started to choke him," he told the jury, claiming he applied pressure 'intermittently' for about 'five seconds'. He said Mr Barron made 'pleasurable grunts and groans' and did not ask him to stop.
The court heard Mr Barron then asked, "Are you not going to tie me up?" Baxter said he used four pieces of rope to bind his arms and legs loosely before they engaged in penetrative sex. Afterwards, Baxter said Mr Barron stated he'd 'enjoyed it' and they cuddled.
'He Had Gone a Deep Purple'
Baxter told the court he fell asleep on top of Mr Barron but later got up, ordered a takeaway of two chicken burgers, chips and onion rings, and tried to wake him when the food was due.
"I noticed that part of Michael's face had turned a light purple," he said. Hearing snoring, he thought he was simply asleep and left the flat to collect the food. "As I walked back in with the food I noticed Michael had gone a deep purple," Baxter stated. "I couldn't hear any breathing or snoring."
He said he dropped the food, shook Mr Barron, cut the ropes with scissors, called 999, and performed CPR. Mr Barron was pronounced dead.
Google Search After Police Left
The jury heard that in the early hours of 27 January, after police had left the scene, Baxter searched online: "If you accidentally kill someone by strangling them in sex do you go to prison."
Questioned by his barrister, Louise Sweet KC, he said: "I decided to think about what could have killed Michael. I was worried I might have accidentally done something. The choking was the only thing I could think of."
Asked if he intended to hurt Mr Barron or thought the activities might cause harm, Baxter answered "No" to each question. Josh Baxter of Lakeside Rise, Blackley, pleads not guilty to manslaughter. The trial continues.
