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Pub-goer found guilty of manslaughter over Appleby Magna pub fight
A pub-goer, Nathan Gothard, was found guilty of manslaughter after fatally punching David Darke following a fight outside The Crown Inn in Appleby Magna, Leicestershire. Darke died six days after the incident, and Gothard, who denied murder, faced a manslaughter verdict on May 7, 2026. He faces sentencing later in May 2026.
Why It Matters
The case highlights how a single violent confrontation can lead to a fatality and serious legal consequences, including manslaughter conviction and custodial sentencing.
Timeline
4 Events
Sentencing scheduled (custodial sentence expected)
May 7, 2026
Gothard's sentencing is scheduled for 22 May 2026 at Leicester Crown Court, with the judge indicating a significant custodial sentence.
Gothard convicted of manslaughter; murder acquitted
May 7, 2026
At Leicester Crown Court, Nathan Gothard, 37, was found guilty of the manslaughter of David Darke and cleared of murder. He was told to expect a significant custodial sentence at a later hearing on May 22, 2026.
David Darke dies in hospital after the incident
December 27, 2025
David Darke, 66, died at the Queen's Medical Centre in Nottingham six days after the incident.
Initial fight at The Crown Inn and outside the pub
December 21, 2025
On December 21, 2025, at The Crown Inn in Appleby Magna, Gothard became involved in a fight with a man he had been irritating in the pub. CCTV showed Ty Fern knocking Gothard to the ground and kicking him outside. Gothard later said Darke helped pull him to his feet after the initial fight and that he attacked Darke in what he described as self-defence. The landlady and her partner escorted Gothard away to calm the situation.