A man has been found guilty of manslaughter in the case involving the death of another man pulled from a canal in Birmingham six years ago.
Cain Watson, aged 33, was initially charged with murder last year in connection with the death of Darren Round, who was discovered in the water near Masshouse Lane in Kings Norton on February 15, 2020.
Watson, a resident of Dornie Drive, Kings Norton, denied the murder charge and faced trial at Birmingham Crown Court recently, as reported by Birmingham Live. Following the trial, a jury acquitted him of murder but convicted him of manslaughter by a majority verdict of 11 to one.
The body of Mr. Round was found in the canal by members of the public using a towpath in Kings Norton around 8:30 am on February 15, 2020. A subsequent post-mortem examination revealed fractures to his face, ribs, and neck, along with significant brain injuries, determining the cause of death as a combination of immersion and blunt force trauma.
During the trial, prosecutor Ben Williams KC stated that Mr. Round was likely still alive when he entered the water, although he might have lost consciousness upon falling in.
An investigation was initiated by the police, who examined CCTV footage showing the final movements of Mr. Round before his disappearance. The evidence indicated that both Mr. Round and Watson were walking in opposite directions along the canal path, with shouting heard shortly after Watson’s presence in the area, and no other individuals observed at the scene.
The prosecution argued that Mr. Round had experienced a severe assault involving multiple forceful blows to his face and chest, suggesting potential pressure on his neck. Watson, identified after a media appeal, initially denied knowledge of the circumstances surrounding Mr. Round’s death but later confessed to engaging in an altercation with him, claiming self-defense using reasonable force. Sentencing for Watson is scheduled for a later date.