GUILTY PLEA ON TOWN CENTRE KILLING

11:01am Friday 16th May 2008

A 20-year-old Macclesfield man pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Chester Crown Court on Monday May 12.

Andrew Kirkby, of Congleton Road, Macclesfield, was initially charged with murder, following the death of a Northwich man in a street fight in Shaw Street, Macclesfield, in December last year.

Sixty-year-old John Leonard died from head injuries, inflicted in what the prosecution describes as "an unprovoked attack" in the early hours of Friday December 7. He died in Macclesfield Hospital the following day.

Adam Scott Bradley, 20, of Macclesfield, and Karl Robert Burns, of Stockport, both pleaded guilty to assault on Mr Leonard's son, Craig, in the same incident in the street outside Craig Leonard's house.

Kirkby was remanded in custody until Thursday June 5 for sentencing.

Bradley and Burns were released on bail for sentencing on the same date.

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