Champagne banker to be sentenced over boat brawl death

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Andrew Liddard, 29, punched 67-year-old Michael Reed after launching into a foul-mouthed tirade at other boat passengers.

Mr Reed, who had suffered health problems, collapsed in pain and passed out moments after the incident in June 2007.

Liddard was said to have been "foaming at the mouth with rage" as he was restrained following the violence.

He had got drunk when he and his brother Christopher went to see an artist friend's exhibition, the Old Bailey heard.

Liddard, of Hoddesdon, Hertfordshire, broke down in tears as he was found guilty of manslaughter last month at a re-trial, and was warned that he faced jail.

A previous jury failed to reach a verdict on him, and cleared Christopher Liddard, 23, of the charge.

The court heard that Mr Reed died from heart failure after being punched in the brawl at Tower Pier.

He had been trying to restrain the brothers after they began swearing at passengers and were asked to leave the boat, the court heard.

After the outburst they had been taken onto the pier where a struggle broke out and Andrew Liddard struck a blow on the side of Mr Reed's face.

Mark Dennis QC, prosecuting, said: "After a short while, Mr Reed sat down on some steps. After a few moments, his condition deteriorated rapidly and he passed out, having suffered a heart attack.

"This display of aggression and violence only lasted some 40 seconds or so.

"However, it had been quite intense, very aggressive and it had involved an exchange of punches."

Mr Reed, who had been married for 44 years and worked on the river all his adult life, had been in hospital with a heart problem in 2001.

It left him vulnerable and the risk had been increased by the stress of the incident, the court heard.

Mr Dennis said other crew members had to sit on Liddard until the police came to stop his violence.

"It appears he was foaming at the mouth with rage, trying to free himself, to continue the violence."

Liddard, who admitted affray at an earlier hearing, was also found guilty of causing actual bodily harm to another crew member.