Cab driver cleared of killing man

A taxi driver has been cleared of killing a man who died after being injured during a night out in Norfolk.

Bradley Baker, 31, from Sizewell in Suffolk, was punched in Paradise Lane, King's Lynn, on 6 May 2008.

He died later in the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, King's Lynn. Christopher Noble, 26, of South Wootton, denied manslaughter at Norwich Crown Court.

Mr Noble, alleged to have punched Mr Baker, said he acted in self defence. The jury found him not guilty.

John Baldwin, 28, of Fuller Close, Mansfield, Nottinghamshire, was found not guilty of affray on the same day.

'Pizza thrown'

Christopher Morgan, prosecuting, said Mr Noble punched Mr Baker once in Paradise Lane and Mr Baker did not regain consciousness.

He died later on the day of the attack from a fractured skull, a haemorrhage and swelling to the brain.

Mr Baker and Mr Baldwin had been to the Chicago night club and then Flames takeaway, the court was told.

An argument developed in the takeaway when Mr Noble allegedly threw a piece of pizza which hit Mr Baker.

The group then went outside and the argument continued in Paradise Lane.

A witness claimed he saw Mr Baldwin making a karate chop towards Mr Noble.

Then Mr Baker "moved in" on Mr Noble and Mr Baker was felled with a jab to the chin, the court was told.