Manslaughter trial of Wrexham man continues at Mold Crown Court

Paul Thomas Ince, aged 31, of Cefn Road, Abenbury, Wrexham is accused of the manslaughter of John Ithell, 59, in Caia Park on June 12, 2023.

Mr Ithell was found unresponsive on Cefn Road. He was taken to Wrexham Maelor Hospital, where he later died.

The prosecution's case is that Ince punched Mr Ithell, which caused injuries that led to his death, Ince denies punching him, instead stating that he pushed him.

At Mold Crown Court on Monday (October 13), the court continued to hear evidence on day five of the trial.

The court heard from David Jones, who discovered Mr Ithell on the morning of June 12, 2023, when he was cycling to work.

Mr Jones told the court that "something caught my eye" whilst he was biking down Redwither Lane and that he thought to himself “I’m sure that’s a body”.

He said that he stopped and asked Mr Ithell if he was okay, and heard a "gurgling sound", which "sounded like he was drunk". 

Mr Jones told the court that he was "uneasy" following a similar incident two weeks prior and continued on his way to work, before calling 101 for police once he arrived.

The statement of Joshua Cookson, was also read out to the court.  

The court heard Mr Cookson was cycling along Redwither Lane at around 6.20am on the morning of June 12, 2023, when he noticed some "dark colour clothing"

He said that he soon realised it was a person, with the top half "completely hidden" in the bush. 

Mr Cookson said Mr Ithell was "flat on his back" and was "breathing heavy". 

Mr Cookson said he called for an ambulance at 6.22am, and paramedics later arrived at the scene. 

One of the paramedics called to the scene, James Cross, also gave evidence in court on Monday.

Mr Cross told the court he responded to a red call just before 6.30am on the morning of June 12, 2023.  He arrived at the scene and could see "two feet sticking out" of the grass on Redwither Lane. 

The paramedic added that he tried to wake Mr Ithell but "had no response", and that he initially thought the male was deceased. 

Mr Cross stated that he pulled Mr Ithell out of the bush by his legs and noticed that he had injuries to his head, including a laceration to his left eye. 

Mr Cross said there were no obvious fractures or other significant injuries present on Mr Ithell, when examined at the scene, and that he asked for police to be called.

Mr Cross told the court that Mr Ithell's respiratory levels and levels were "low", and that he had a heart rate of around 120, the normal being between 60-100bpm. 

He added in the ambulance on the way to the hospital, Mr Ithell "deteriorated", and went into "respiratory arrest", before being handed over to hospital staff.

Ince's police interviews from June 15 and 16, were read out to the court.

The court heard Ince told police that after hearing Mr Ithell "shouting" outside the Pont Wen address, he told Mr Ithell they didn't sell drugs, to which Mr Ithell replied “It’s bronco and I want more stuff”, which Ince said annoyed him "because I don’t sell drugs”. 

Ince said that he "shoved" Mr Ithell into the fence, with force at a five or six, out of ten. 

“I know I was wrong for doing it," Ince told police. 

Ince said he was half a metre away from Mr Ithell when he pushed him and he fell backwards onto the fence, landed on his bum and ended up on his back. 

Ince added that he picked Mr Ithell up, offered him a chair from the neighbours garden and noticed some blood around his eye from a "little cut". 

He told police that he later left the scene, after believing Mr Ithell "was capable of looking after himself.”

Ince told police that as soon as he found out someone had died, he handed himself into police.

When asked about Miss Baldini's accounts by police, Ince denied punching Mr Ithell.

"I didn't punch him, I pushed him," said Ince. 

When asked why Miss Baldini would say he punched Mr Ithell, Ince told police it "probably looked like" he punched Mr Ithell, because of the way he pushed him. 

The trial continues.