'Bad luck' led to argument death

Stephen Langford, 43, died after an argument outside a takeaway

Two men accused of killing a father of two were victims of "unbelievably bad luck", a jury has been told.

Defence QC Rodney Jameson said the last thing either James Diggens or his co-defendant wanted was to end a pleasant evening with violence.

The 19-year-old, of Henley, Oxon, and Kes Ingoldsby, 18, of Caversham Park Village, Reading, deny murdering Stephen Langford on 9 December 2006.

Mr Langford, 43, died after an argument outside a takeaway in Henley.

What killed him was falling and hitting the back of his head in an unprotected and accelerated fall Defence QC Rodney Jameson

In his final speech, Mr Jameson told Inner London Crown Court it had been quite "wrong and irresponsible" for the Crown to suggest the pair intended to end a pleasant evening with violence and death.

Neither was it correct to portray them as two "yobs" who thought a post-midnight confrontation would be "nice entertainment".

The barrister maintained that, although Mr Diggens, of Wargrave Road, admitted landing the first blow, it had been done in self defence and to protect his friend.

So too, he said, was the kick he delivered immediately afterwards as the man lay on the ground.

'Singled out'

"It was not the punch that killed him directly. It was not the kick.

"What killed him was falling and hitting the back of his head in an unprotected and accelerated fall, possibly because of the drink [Mr Langford had had].

"It was unbelievably bad luck. First of all, of course, for him, but also for everybody involved in this case as well," said counsel.

The court had earlier been told that Mr Ingoldsby, of Devon Drive, had accused Mr Langford of staring at him while in the takeaway.

The Crown claims it was a case of Mr Langford deliberately being "singled out" for trouble.

The case continues.