Cynical' and 'remorseless' man found guilty of manslaughter

VICTIM KILLED IN 'MINDLESS PIECE OF VIOLENCE

- By DAVID POWELL Daily Post Reporter [e-mail]

Custody picture of Paul Ince released after the verdict

A MAN has been found guilty of manslaughter after a drunken attack.

Paul Ince, 31, had been on trial for manslaughter over the death of John Ithell after allegedly punching the 59-year-old.

At about 2.30pm yesterday after seven hours of deliberations a judge at Mold Crown Court told the jury of six men and six women he would accept a majority verdict.

Minutes later, they duly returned with a guilty verdict of 11-1 on the ninth day of the trial in Courtroom Number One.

As Ince remained expressionless in the dock and a woman sobbed in the public gallery, a judge told him he had "cynically" tried to avoid responsibility for a "mindless piece of drunken violence." He said he could see "little if any" remorse.

Mr Ithell and a friend had gone to Pont Wen in Pentre Gwyn to buy drugs, the court had heard.

But when Ince heard Mr Ithell, he felt "morally superior", according to the prosecution, "bounced" down the stairs out of a first-floor flat and punched Mr Ithell in the garden.

Mr Ithell fell backwards into a fence and banged his head on a concrete path, Mold Crown Court heard.