Two men found NOT guilty over death of Terry Bailey in street fight

Daniel Goodall, 42, and Jamie Loftus, 28, were cleared after a trial at Leeds Crown Court in relation to the death of 39-year-old Terry Bailey.A jury reached unanimous verdicts today after the week-long trial in which the court was shown footage of Mr Bailey collapsing in the road outside Leeds railway station in the early hours of August 29 last year.

Mr Bailey, 39, was pronounced dead less than an hour after the incident which happened at around 12.30am.

The court heard the three men knew each other and the incident took place during a dispute over drugs.

Prosecutor Simon Kealey, QC, described how Mr Bailey and the defendants were involved in an argument as they walked to a taxi rank beside the station.

Mr Kealey said the defendants got in to a taxi and it was their intention to go to Beeston in order to buy and take drugs.

The prosecutor said Mr Bailey did not get in to the taxi and appeared to throw a punch in to the vehicle

The court heard the defendants then got out of the cab and Mr Goodall struck Mr Bailey before pushing him away violently.

Camera footage showed Mr Loftus removing his t-shirt before punching Mr Bailey to the head and face in an attack which lasted a few seconds.

Mr Bailey then staggered into the road and collapsed.

Both defendants gave evidence during the trial.

Mr Goodall told jurors he had been trying to act as a peacemaker in an argument between Mr Bailey and Mr Loftus.

He said Mr Bailey had been his friend since school and he would not want to hurt him.

Mr Goodall denied causing the fatal injury. He said he went to push Mr Bailey but was not sure if he made contact.

Mr Loftus said he threw punches as he feared he was about to come under attack after spending ten minutes trying to get Mr Bailey to leave him alone.

He said: "I remember him (Mr Bailey) saying he wanted to hurt or kill me."

The YEP interviewed Terry Bailey about his life on the streets in 2004