Hullbridge death: Two guilty of father's manslaughter

Timothy Smith suffered "catastrophic" injuries during the incident in The Drive, Hullbridge

Two "lifestyle criminals" have been found guilty of killing a father who was on his way home from the pub.

Timothy Smith was pushed which caused him to fall and hit his head on a low wall causing "catastrophic injuries".

The 57-year-old died in hospital a day after the incident in Hullbridge, Essex, on 19 March last year.

Colin Garrod, 51, and Andrew McVicar, 35, were convicted of manslaughter after a trial at Basildon Crown Court and will be sentenced on 2 November.

Garrod, of Southend, and McVicar, of Basildon, were also found guilty of possessing an imitation firearm and affray.

The men, wearing balaclavas, went to the home of Glenn Mattram in Hullbridge, armed with an imitation gun where they accosted him and his family as well as Mr Smith and his wife who were returning from the local pub, the trial heard.

Designer clothes

Jurors were told while he was being forced into the property, Mr Smith received a "sharp shove in the back" which caused him to fall and hit his head on a jagged wall.

The men demanded money from Mr Mattram, taking a holdall, and both went on a spending spree following the incident, the trial heard.

In the days after Mr Smith's death, Garrod bought a new phone and deposited large quantities of cash into his bank account.

Jurors heard McVicar spent almost £3,000 on designer clothes in the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon and Lakeside Shopping Centre in Thurrock.

The prosecution said McVicar's cousin had told police the defendant had admitted being part of a robbery where a man died shortly afterwards.

Appalling crime

A third man, Jamie Caborn, of Basildon, previously pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property, namely £10,000 in cash, in relation to the case.

McVicar and Garrod also pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property at a previous hearing and police recovered £34,000 from all three men combined.

Det Ch Insp Martin Pasmore said afterwards: "This was an appalling crime carried out by violent, lifestyle criminals.

"My thoughts are very much with Tim Smith's family, who have shown incredible dignity throughout the trial."

Mr Smith's son Adam Pighini said: "We will now try to move forward the best we can with our lives and want Tim to be remembered as the kind, funny and caring family man that he was."