Man cleared of punch manslaughter

Mr Cooksey ran a building firm and was a keen cricketer

A 20-year-old man has been cleared of the manslaughter of a father-of-three in Wiltshire.

Adrian Cooksey, 50, of Trowbridge, died on 8 March after he was found lying on the pavement in Spa Road, Melksham.

Bristol Crown Court heard Mr Cooksey had suffered a punch to the left side of his jaw which also fractured the right side.

The jury took 90 minutes to clear Thomas Richard Minshull, a forensic biology student of Spa Road, Melksham.

Mr Cooksey, who ran the building and plumbing firm A Cooksey & Sons, died at the Royal United Hospital in Bath after his life support machine was switched off.

He was a well-known member of Bradford-on-Avon Cricket Club, captaining the second team and playing many times for the first team.