One of four Metrolink-contracted workers accused of unlawfully killing a young man has admitted using his 'bodily pressure to keep him pinned to the ground'. Stephen Rowlands, who denies manslaughter, said he feared the man may have been armed. Jack Barnes, 28, died several weeks after suffering a cardiac arrest while restrained during a lengthy pursuit through Manchester city centre.
One of four Metrolink -contracted workers accused of unlawfully killing a young man has admitted using his 'bodily pressure to keep him pinned to the ground'. Stephen Rowlands, who denies manslaughter, later told police ' I thought he was armed', jurors were told. Jack Barnes, 28, suffered a cardiac arrest after losing consciousness while being held face down for nine minutes following a lengthy pursuit through Manchester city centre by the men.
A court has heard that before passing out he repeatedly struggled and said 'I can’t breathe'. He never regained consciousness and died several weeks later in hospital.\Four men, on trial accused of manslaughter, were interviewed by police after the incident in October 2016. As the trial continued, the jurors heard the supervisor of the group, Stephen Rowlands, who was holding one of Mr Barnes' arms, later told police: 'I also used my bodily pressure to pin his body to the floor.” “He was trying to put his hand in his left pocket and I was concerned he had a weapon,' he told cops. The jury has heard that Mr Rowlands, now 68, a former GMP constable, had said in a statement at an inquest into the death of Mr Barnes how during his 13 years with the force 'I must have detained and restrained well over 1,000 people and have never caused any lasting injury or received any complaint'. Mr Rowlands, of Wearish Lane, Westhoughton, Bolton, is on trial at Liverpool Crown Court along with Matthew Sellers, 30, of Heathfield Road, Bury; Paul Fogarty, 51, of Monks Lane, Bolton and Brian Gartside, 50, of Lime Grove, Ramsbottom, Bury. They all deny manslaughter. Mr Rowlands also denies a charge of attempting to pervert the course of justice by making a false witness statement. They were sub-contracted to Metrolink as customer service representatives, jurors have been told.\In his statement to police shortly after the incident - read to a jury at Liverpool Crown Court - Mr Rowlands said that at the station one of a group of six young men swung a bag at him which he knew was going to hit him. He put his hand up to protect his head and the heavy bag hit his hand immediately causing pain, the jurors were told. One of his colleagues was repeatedly struck and his assailant then ran off and Mr Fogarty and Mr Sellers ran after him, he said. Mr Rowlands and Mr Gartside also gave chase but hailed a taxi en route which they both got in, the court was told. They got out near Spinningfields and Mr Gartside detained the man with the bag and Mr Fogarty detained his companion, who was threatening to stab him, the jurors were told. That man escaped but was chased by Mr Sellers who rugby tackled him to the ground, said Mr Rowlands. Mr Rowlands said he took over from Mr Gartside with the first man who was 'struggling and thrashing about'. He said the man was face down and he held both his arms and had his elbow in his back. “He was trying to put his hand in his left pocket and I was concerned he had a weapon,' said the defendant. He said Mr Fogarty took hold of one arm of the man while he held the other. “I also used my bodily pressure to pin his body to the floor while we were still holding his arms. The male was continually shouting for me to get off him and making numerous threats,' said Mr Rowlands in his statement. Mr Rowlands continued: “I realised that the male had gone quiet. I know that it did not seem right. I felt his neck for a pulse but I could not get one.” After Mr Fogarty could also not find a pulse, Mr Rowlands said he put the man in the recovery position. “I saw his face was white and his lips purple. I realised it was serious. I opened his jacket and started pumping his chest,' he said. He said the police arrived and paramedics took over.
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