Bar owner guilty of patron's manslaughter

Matthew Patrick Heagney who died on August 23 last year. Photo / NZPA

A bar owner who threw a patron from his Blenheim pub has been found guilty of the man's manslaughter.

Matthew Heagney, 24, died of severe head injuries following the incident on August 23 last year, when Shapeshifters co-owner Kevin Robert King and two doormen carried him out of the bar.

King, 50, was charged with Mr Heagney's manslaughter and has been on trial at the High Court in Wellington.

The jury of nine women and three men returned its guilty verdict today following four hours of deliberations.

During the eight-day trial, the Crown said King had used excessive force removing Mr Heagney from the bar.

Prosecutor Mark O'Donoghue said Mr Heagney was intending, and trying, to leave when King put him in a headlock and two bouncers helped carry him outside.

"If Kevin King had used reasonable force, Mr Heagney would be alive today," Mr O'Donoghue said.

"Just because you are the co-owner and manager of a place doesn't mean you can do whatever you please to defend yourself or remove them from the property."

Various witnesses, drunk or sober at the time, gave evidence that Heagney was flung, propelled or pushed out the door.

Evidence was also given that he was thrown, dropped or fell to the ground, striking his head.

Mr O'Donoghue said evidence had also shown that King had been "heavy handed" with patrons before and had a propensity "to get involved in the heavy stuff".

Defence lawyer Mike Turner argued that King had stepped in to a confrontation between one of his staff and the intruder.

King also had a weak left arm from an accident some years ago and was unable to hold on to the top half of Mr Heagney any longer after reaching the door to evict him, Mr Turner said.

King was remanded on existing bail conditions and ordered to surrender his passport.

He will be sentenced in Wellington on February 9.

- NZPA