The girlfriend of a man charged with the manslaughter of his childhood friend told a court of events leading to their friend’s death.

Sally Lewis is the girlfriend of Patrick Conway, who is charged with the manslaughter of his friend Patrick Lawless.

She told Kingston Crown Court she was close friends with Mr Lawless who she said had Asperger’s and ADHD.

Miss Lewis said the conditions meant Mr Lawless’s behaviour could be exaggerated and he would talk quickly.

She said: “He was normally like that but he was sort of more so when drunk.”

Miss Lewis said Mr Lawless was drunk when he arrived at the Royal Oak and described his level of intoxication as 8.5 out of 10.

The court heard Miss Lewis was hit by a bottle during the brawl outside the pub on Saturday, November 10, 2012.

She said: “Just out if nowhere something hit me on my chest. It felt like something really hard. Either the bottom of a bottle or a heavy pint glass.

“It was really painful so I think it just kind of winded me.”

The court heard Miss Lewis remembered little of the fight and then walked up Teddington High Street to the Kings Head.

She said at this point Mr Lawless was very drunk and was winding people up.

She said: “We all knew him so we were used to him being an exaggerated person. At this point he was being a lot more than we were used to.”

The court heard Miss Lewis did not see Inigo Anderson hit Mr Lawless outside the Clockhouse pub, where the group had moved to, as has been alleged.

She said: “I remember Patrick Lawless had been getting progressively more aggressive throughout the evening and at the point we were outside the Clockhouse he became quite aggressive towards Inigo.”

Miss Lewis told the court the group moved down Field Lane and said she knelt down to try to calm Mr Lawless, who she said was agitated and angry.

She said: “At that point for no reason Patrick Lawless spat in my face. I stormed off, got it off. I was upset. I was quite angry.”

Miss Lewis told the court she thought Mr Lawless spat at her deliberately but said her boyfriend took his friends side and defended him.

She said: “He sort of stuck on Patrick Lawless’s side. He said he didn’t really mean to do it.”

Miss Lewis told the court her boyfriend and Mr Lawless walked away from the group and a while later she heard some commotion.

She said: “I gathered that something must have happened between Patrick Lawless and Patrick Conway. I didn’t see what it was."”

Miss Lewis said the group gathered to help Mr Lawless, who she said was on the floor with his head down.

She said: “There was a lot of blood. He was quite disorientated.”

The court heard Miss Lewis phoned an ambulance and then Mr Lawless became unresponsive and lost consciousness.

He died in hospital a few days later.

The trial continues.

 

The defendants and charges in full

Five defendants face one charge of violent disorder each.

They are Aaron Noonan, 21, of Brick Farm Close, Richmond, Ben Axelrod, 26, of Station Approach, Epsom, Callum Hurley, 20, of Fulmer Close, Hampton, Max Mears, 19, of Temple Sheen Road, East Sheen, and Edward Barry Thompson-Membery, 22, of Pollard Street, Bethnal Green.

Patrick Conway denies one charge of manslaughter but has admitted one count of violent disorder.

Inigo Anderson denies one count of ABH.

James Hales has admitted one count of violent disorder, one count of grievous bodily harm and one count of wounding with intent.