Murder-accused in court over 'bar punch' death

A man has appeared in court accused of murder over the death of a man who was reportedly punched at a bar.

Billy Allison, 36, from Solihull, attended a hearing at Stafford Crown Court on Thursday, following his appearance at North Staffordshire Justice Centre the previous day.

It came after police were called to reports of two men being punched at the Ricco and Loren bar on Market Street, Lichfield, at 23:25 BST on Sunday.

Police said one of the men, Matthew O'Gara, died in hospital on Tuesday afternoon, while the second, who also attended hospital, was discharged. Allison is accused of causing grievous bodily harm in relation to the latter.

During the brief court hearing in Stafford, no pleas were entered and Allison was remanded into custody.

He is next due to appear at Stafford Crown Court on 1 September.

In response to a social media post by The Plough pub, where O' Gara was a business partner, a number of firms across the hospitality industry have been sending their condolences.

The pub, near Lichfield, was shut earlier this week to give family and staff "the time, privacy, and respect they need", according to the post on Facebook.

Lichfield Rugby Club also posted a tribute to the businessman, describing him as "a friend of the club and a very generous and valued sponsor" who often attended matches and events.

Its post said: "From everyone at the club we would like to offer our deepest condolences to all of Matt's family, friends, colleagues and the wider Plough family."

Earlier this week, Ricco and Loren bar posted on Facebook to say: "As a small local family business, we are devastated by the events of the last few days.

"We are sending all our love, thoughts, and best wishes to everyone affected - we will be closed for a few days to give our staff some time, thank you."

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