Unprovoked single punch killed 'ghostbuster' reveller

Gareth Davies was fatally punched by Aaron Davies

A man who was "spoiling for a fight" has been convicted of killing a reveller in fancy dress who tried to break up a scuffle in a pub car park.

Aaron Davies, 24, of Cwmbran, denied the manslaughter of financial advisor Gareth Davies, 26, of Llangibby, Monmouthshire, in October 2007.

He was found guilty at Cardiff Crown Court after the jury heard Mr Davies was punched "for no reason" by Davies.

Aaron Davies will be sentenced later this month.

His victim, 26-year-old Gareth Davies, died two days after hitting his head on the ground.

Amateur footballer Mr Davies, who was studying for banking exams as part of a HSBC graduate scheme, was out fundraising with his friends for his local football team on the night of the attack.

Mr Davies, described in court as "popular and well-liked by everybody he met," was dressed as one of the stars of the 1980s film Ghostbusters.

'Punched and scuffled'

His friends were dressed in a range of fancy dress costumes, including Buzz Lightyear and Sylvester the Cat, for the night out in Cwmbran, Torfaen.

The group went to the John Fielding Wetherspoons pub where, the court heard, steelworker Davies was "in an aggressive mood".

Davies had already punched and scuffled with three other men that evening, the court was told.

Robin Spencer QC, prosecuting said: "It was then when Gareth Davies in his Ghostbuster costume arrived.

"It looks as though he was doing nothing more than trying to calm things down.

"Aaron Davies without provocation and for no reason at all punched Gareth Davies hard in the face.

"It must have been a hard punch because he went straight to the floor and cracked his head on the tarmac surface of the car park."

Davies had denied manslaughter, claiming someone else threw the fatal punch.

He was remanded in custody for sentencing later this month.

He was told by Recorder of Cardiff Nicholas Cooke: "Custody is inevitable."