A HALESOWEN teenager has been cleared of manslaughter after a man died in a street attack.

Colin Mahon, aged 18, walked free from Worcester Crown Court yesterday after a three week trial following the death of 50-year-old Nigel Shakespeare.

His cousin, Adam Haylor, of Astley Close, Redditch, was also found not guilty of manslaughter, but guilty of assault causing actual bodily harm.

A 17-year-old, from Telford, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of manslaughter. He and Haylor were remanded in custody and will be sentenced today.

Mahon, of Albert Road, had been celebrating a friend’s birthday party in Redditch, when he and the other two teenagers decided to go to a bar in the town, shortly before midnight on February 23 last year.

When they reached the corner of Sillins Avenue, Nigel Shakespeare walked by with his partner Jacqueline Cull after an evening spent in the nearby Kings Arms pub.

Mr Shakespeare heard someone insult him and turned around and walked back to them, asking who had said it. The 17-year-old led him away to calm the situation down but then Mahon heard his friend shout "Col, he's hit me" the jury was told.

The teenager hit Mr Shakespeare in the face and knocked him down. He claimed he had been acting in self defence.

Haylor was then seen to kick Mr Shakespeare in the head as he lay bleeding in the road.

Mahon told the jury he had no contact with Mr Shakespeare and he and Haylor ran off.

Mr Shakespeare, described in court as a big man who was wearing a biker's jacket, suffered a fractured skull where his head hit the ground after being knocked down by a "heavy blow," medical experts said.

His cheekbone was fractured from the left side across to his right eye socket. He also had bruising on his forehead.