Man died after street attack, jury hears

Cowin Fuoco-Fisher, aged 25, and James Caswell, aged 28, are both charged with the murder of 50-year-old Stefan Shotton, who was assaulted in the early hours of May 28 last year outside the Co-operative store in Devonport Road, Stoke.

- CARL EVE

Mr Shotton was later taken to Derriford Hospital suffering serious head injuries, including a bleed on the brain. Despite surgery he never regained consciousness, and he died on June 6.

Fuoco-Fisher of Stuart Road, Plymouth and Caswell, of Tailyour Road, Plymouth were both initially charged with wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm, but the charge against them was elevated to murder following the death of Mr Shotton. Fuoco-Fisher was also initially charged with being found in possession of 0.137 grams of cocaine.

The jury of 10 men and two women, sitting at Plymouth Crown Court, were told by prosecutor Simon Jones that Caswell had pleaded not guilty to both the charge of murder and the alternative charge of manslaughter. However, Mr Jones said that while Fuoco-Fisher had also pleaded not guilty to the charge of murder he had previously pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

However, Mr Jones said it was the prosecution's case that both men intended to cause really serious harm to Mr Shotton, resulting in his untimely death.

CCTV from a number of establishments in Devonport Road were shown to the jury, tracing the movements of Mr Shotton, Fuoco-Fisher, Caswell and others on the night of May 27 and into the early hours of May 28.

Prosecutor Mr Jones said Mr Shotton was killed from "what turned out to be a brutal and unlawful attack he was the victim of a determined and severe beating which involved repeated punching and kicking to his head when he was on the ground" in a "two on one" attack. He said the Crown's case was there was "no justification" for the violence the accused used, alluding to "tensions" which arose during the night.