Philip Mesney

Philip Mesney died outside the Roadhouse club in Covent Garden after allegedly being pushed on 14 July 2003.

A man was tried for his manslaughter but there was insufficient evidence to convict him and he was acquitted.

Philip Mesney had been out with friends drinking and had gone to the Roadhouse club but after a confrontation his group were thrown out.

After they had been thrown out they had remonstrated with the bouncers and two of the group, who were teachers, were hit including Philip Mesney. Philip Mesney was knocked to the floor and was taken to St Thomas hospital at 1.16am but later died after an operation from multiple organ failure on 20 July 2003.

The man on trial said that he had pushed Philip Mesney because he felt threatened, saying, 'The guy is coming at me shouting and swearing ''Why the f*** are you throwing us out for no reason.'' His arms were flailing. He has come towards me and I am saying ''Stay away from me.'' It's not uncommon that once punches start being thrown the rest tend to join in. There was only three of us. He was saying ''You think you're hard because you're a doorman. He kept coming towards me so I shoved him with my right hand. I'm not even sure where I made contact. It could have been the shoulder or the side of the face. He sort of flew back slightly. I don't know if he tripped or stumbled back. As he went down his head bounced off the cobbles. There were so many in the group it's quite a threatening scenario.'

The judge said, 'If what he did, whether it was a hard push or a punch, amounts to unlawful assault, then the prosecution say he is guilty of manslaughter'. However, he said that there was 'insufficient evidence' for the case to proceed.