James McDonagh: Man admits one-punch death Published duration 9 January 2018

image copyright PAcemaker image caption James McDonagh died from his injuries

A County Londonderry man has pleaded guilty to causing the death of a member of the travelling community in a single punch attack two years ago.

Finbar McCoy Jr from Tamlaghduff Road, Bellaghy, changed his plea a day after he was due to have gone on trial for a second time.

James McDonagh, 28, from Castledawson, died from head injuries sustained outside the Elk Bar in January 2016.

McCoy, 26, will remain in custody until he is sentenced next month.

image copyright Mark Jamieson image caption Finbar McCoy changed his plea on Tuesday

He had always admitted throwing the punch that floored Mr McDonagh, but had maintained he was innocent of causing unlawful death.

However, on Tuesday, his defence barrister asked the trial judge for her client to be "re-arraigned" on the single count.

Following his guilty plea, the barrister said while McCoy had been on bail until now, he wished to be taken into custody.

Last month, a jury of six men and six women, failed to agree on a verdict following more than five hours of deliberation.

'Panicked'

They had heard that McCoy was in the Elk bar in Toomebridge with his family celebrating his father's retirement.

image caption The incident happened outside the Elk Bar in January 2016

At about 02:00 GMT, there was a confrontation in the car park.

At one stage Mr McDonagh was stripped to the waist, "shouting and roaring... laughing, egging" people on.

McCoy returned to the car park, found his parents were injured, and had to be restrained. However, he managed to break free and in a "rage" ran over and punched Mr McDonagh.

McCoy later said he "panicked" and "fearful for his family", threw the punch as a "scare tactic" and that immediately afterwards he punched "a fence in his temper".

'Totally unresponsive'

Although McCoy's father put an unconscious Mr McDonagh in "the recovery position", and despite advice from those present that he should be taken to hospital, he was driven to his mother's home.

She said her son was lying on the sofa, making a snoring noise, but she could not awaken him.

Some hours later her daughter called for an ambulance, and staff found Mr McDonagh to be "totally unresponsive".

A post-mortem examination later revealed that Mr McDonagh died from bleeding and swelling of the brain after a punch caused him to fall backwards and his head hit off the pavement, fracturing his skull.

He later died from brain injuries.