A young man, who was pinned face down after a lengthy pursuit by four public transport workers, repeatedly shouted, “I can’t breathe". A jury heard that they were among the last words to be uttered by 28-year-old Jack Barnes as his heart stopped beating during the almost nine-minute long “brutal” restraint, and although it was restarted, he never regained consciousness and died in hospital several weeks later. The four workers, who were subcontracted to Metrolink as customer service representatives, are alleged to have ignored a "walk away" policy and chased Mr Barnes, from Hull so that he could be unlawfully restrained following an earlier incident.
“There are aspects of the restraint that demonstrates the real purpose and intent of the defendants. "Revenge, punishment and exerting a perceived authority but not to effect a lawful arrest,” claimed Jason Pitter, KC, prosecuting. The four men are on trial at Liverpool Crown Court accused of manslaughter.
Matthew Sellers, 30, of Heathfield Road, Bury, Stephen Rowland, 68, of Wearish Lane, Westhoughton, Paul Fogarty, 51, of Monks Lane, Bolton, and Brian Gartside, 50, of Lime Grove, Ramsbottom, all deny the offence. Rowlands also denies a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice by making a false witness statement. Opening the prosecution case on Tuesday, January 21, Mr Pitter claimed that while restraining Mr Barnes on the ground by the Australasia Bar on Deansgate in Manchester, Rowlands told him, "We’.
