A martial arts enthusiast killed a wheelchair-bound amputee and tipped him out of his mobility aid, a jury heard today.
Daniel Sharples had been drinking lager and sambuca shots in the morning at pubs before he approached dad-of-two Michael Mairs and subjected him to a "brutal assault."
The 37-year-old also attacked two of the victim's friends, under a railway bridge, before trying to escape through a pub beer garden and climbing over a wall before police caught him.
Sharples told detectives that 53-year-old Mr Mairs had "sold heroin" or Spice to his son, but the teenager has given a statement saying he knows nothing about drugs and has never taken them.
The defendant denies murder following the attack on October 6, 2019, in Warrington town centre.
He admits killing Mr Mairs, but claims he cannot remember what happened, "because at the time, he was wholly intoxicated by a combination of alcohol and Valium," prosecutor Richard Pratt said.
Liverpool Crown Court heard how under arrest, and captured by a body worn camera of one of the arresting officers, Mr. Sharples said: "That f***ing guy over there has f***in' give my son heroin. So I kicked his f***ing head in."
Sharples had started his day by having a breakfast of pancakes and a pint of lager in the Looking Glass pub in Warrington, before at 11am, downing more beer and sambuca shots in the Hop Pole.
Some observers thought "adept martial arts performer" Sharples was "on drugs," the jury heard.
Half an hour later, the court was told, CCTV showed the 37-year-old walking towards the railway bridge where he confronted Mr Mairs and his two friends.
Mr Pratt said: "Daniel Sharples physically attacked three of the men with punches and kicks.
"They did nothing to provoke or incite that attack.
"Two of them, Shaun Taylor and Wilfred Hewitt, received comparatively minor injuries.
"But the third, Michael Mairs was subjected to a particularly brutal attack involving punches and kicks to his head – some of which were captured by CCTV cameras as the operative decided to turn his camera back to the bridge.
"During the assault ,the defendant even tipped him, barely conscious, out of his wheelchair and later threw the wheelchair aside."
Mr Mairs suffered very serious injuries and was taken to hospital, but he died three weeks later, on October 28.
Mr Pratt added: "He was not, as you will have gathered, a well man, but there is no doubt that his death had one central cause – he had quite simply been kicked and beaten to death in the street by this defendant."
One witness, a homeless woman, described how an angry man came "bouncing towards them," as he shouted: "Where's Dan?"
She added: "He was really aggressive and kept repeating it.
"Jessica said to him “'if you’re talking about Big Dan, he’s dead.'
"To that he replied, 'I’m not talking to you, you can shut the f*** up’."
Sharples was, she said, "angry, like frothing at the mouth."
Another woman in the group, Mr Pratt said, Sharples described them as 'Spice heads,' and yelled: "I am going to f*** you up."
It was added: "He was accusing Michael in particular of having sold Spice to his 15 year old son.
"He was pushing him and slapping him saying, ‘Admit it, you sold Spice to my 15 year old son.'
"He poked Michael in the eyes with his index finger."
Another witness said: "He hit the male in the wheelchair.
"From a standing position I saw him kick the male in the face connecting straight in the face, this was really shocking.
"The attacker has then gone round the back of his wheelchair and tipped him back out his wheelchair the male has then hit his head on the floor.
"The attacker then pulled his wheelchair away from him and that is when I saw the attacker kick the male to the head and then stamped on his head I would say this happened about four or five times."
In court, Mr Mairs was described as "a much-loved father to his son and daughter and he had a young granddaughter as well.
"His health had not been good over the years.
"His medical records describe him as suffering from chronic alcoholism, and deep vein thrombosis which ultimately led to the partial amputation of his left leg, which confined him to a wheelchair.
"He also had cirrhosis of the liver."
Sharples' son has given a statement, saying he has never taken drugs and does not know Mr Mairs, who the killer claims sourced the substances.
Mr Pratt said: "The practice of martial arts in sport and in culture is of course entirely legitimate.
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"However, what is apparent from this case is that the defendant deployed his undoubted prowess and skill to an altogether darker purpose in an unprovoked and vicious attack on a totally defenceless and vulnerable individual."
He added: "But as the evidence unfolds before you, we will suggest to you that it clearly demonstrates a man for whatever reason, deliberately and wilfully subjecting a highly vulnerable man to a devastating attack.
"At the very least, he intended to cause him really serious harm. And that makes him guilty of murder."
Sharples, of Grisedale Avenue, Warrington, denies murder.
The trial continues.
