Tyrone man admits unlawful killing of Leslie Parks

A man who was due to go on trial on Monday for the manslaughter of Leslie Parks in Cookstown in September 2009, has pleaded guilty to unlawful killing.

Anthony James Bey, 21, from Fortglen, Cookstown, punched Mr Parks once near a nightclub on Molesworth Street.

No details of the attack were given to Dungannon Crown Court.

Granting Bey continuing bail, the judge said this should not be seen as an indication of how the case would ultimately be dealt with.

Judge Geoffrey Miller QC described Mr Parks' death as "tragic" for all concerned.

Mr Parks, from Cookstown, was felled by the single punch which fractured his skull and although he was rushed to Craigavon Area Hospital, he was later transferred to the Royal Victoria Hospital in Belfast, where he died on 28 September 2009.

Just before a jury was to be sworn in to hear the case, defence lawyer Mark Mulholland asked for the single charge of manslaughter to be put to Bey.

Standing in the dock, just a short distance from family and friends of Mr Parks, Bey pleaded guilty to the charge.

Mr Mulholland said that in addition to the pre-sentence reports from the probation service, the defence also hoped to provide a psychiatric report on Bey which might also prove helpful when dealing with his case.

Judge Miller told Bey that, as a result of his actions that night, a young man, barely a year older than him had died.

It is expected that Bey will be sentenced by the court on 18 March.