Man jailed for Dunedin bar manslaughter

Photo / file

A man who choked his victim in the toilet of a Dunedin bar has been sentenced to five years in prison, for the manslaughter of Ryan Court.

Stephen Anthony Fernyhough (26), demolition worker, of Dunedin, appeared for sentencing today in front of a packed public gallery at the Dunedin High Court.

In a white shirt and flanked by two prison officers, Fernyhough, looked around the court as details of his offending was read before visibly upset family and friends of Mr Court.

''Shut up you weren't there,'' he said at one point from the dock, before being cautioned.

The court was told how after a disagreement in the toilet of the Craft Bar, Fernyhough applied a "choker-style hold'' for between 20-40 seconds to Mr Court who fell unconscious and later died.

Fernyhough fled the scene with associates, and was later arrested by police following a second incident outside another Dunedin bar.

Fernyhough was arrested the next day initially on a charge of assaulting Mr Court but was later charged with murder.

At a July appearance, Fernyhough pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter.