Sailor 'beaten to death for mocking Royal Marines'

By NEIL MILLARD
Updated: 06:22 EDT, 3 February 2010

A Royal Navy sailor accused of mocking the Royal Marines was beaten to death by four of them, a court has heard.

Engineering Technician Kyle Bartlett, 21, had argued with a fifth marine before the four, including two commandos, allegedly attacked him.

One flew at him 'like an animal' and he was left cowering on the floor of a bar as the assault continued, the jury at their trial heard.

Denial: Marines Ben Scott and Mark Clarke (right)

Ben Scott, 22, Mark Clarke, 22, James Taylor, 26, and Luke Morton, 21, repeatedly punched and kicked him after they heard him 'slagging off bootnecks', slang for Royal Marines, Winchester Crown Court was told.

At one point it was said Clarke even picked up a chair and smashed it over ET Bartlett as he lay on the ground in the Walkabout bar in Portsmouth, Hants.

On trial: Marines Luke Morton and James Taylor (right) 

He was so badly injured his family had to make the agonising decision to turn off his life support after he was declared brain dead the following day.

The court was told that when security staff tried to intervene, Clarke, Taylor and Morton 'formed a barrier' to stop them reaching Scott, who had been identified as one of the attackers.

ET Bartlett served on the Type-42 destroyer HMS Liverpool which was docked in Portsmouth for repairs.

Nicholas Haggan QC, prosecuting, said the victim had been drinking with friends in the nearby Yates's Wine Lodge in the Guildhall Walk area of Portsmouth on May 5 last year.

He had drunk up to four bottles of white wine as he watched the Champions League match between Manchester United and Arsenal that evening and had become 'quite drunk'.

Kyle Bartlett died of serious head injuries

After arriving at the Walkabout shortly after 10pm he became involved in an 'altercation' with a marine called Cameron Hamilton and this disagreement was seen by the rest of the Royal Marines, Mr Haggan said.

'When the first altercation took place a number of these Marines who were only a short distance away seemed to take a keen interest in what was going on.

'Mr Hamilton walked away but then Mr Bartlett seems to have become involved in a face to face confrontation with Scott.'

The pair were separated but ET Bartlett approached the marines again when he spotted one of his friends talking to them.

Mr Haggan added: 'Mr Bartlett watched his friend and less than a minute later he walked over to the group again.

'There was then a further altercation and Mr Bartlett and Scott became involved in a second face-to-face confrontation.

'When interviewed, Scott told police he had said to Mr Bartlett that they should go outside and he pointed to the front door.'

The jury heard Scott began to walk towards the exit followed by Mr Bartlett and that later Scott was to tell police that as they made their way out the victim punched or pushed him in the back.

'Scott turned around and punched Mr Bartlett. He retaliated and Taylor then joined in the fight," said Mr Haggan.

'Within a few seconds Mr Bartlett was totally overcome.

'He adopted a defensive posture and fell to the floor but Scott continued to punch him.

'Various witnesses said Mr Bartlett was being punched and kicked while he was on the floor and in no position to defend himself."

The court heard Clarke then hit him so hard with a chair that the seat became detached.

At one stage a witness, Beth Williams, allegedly asked Clarke if he was all right and he reportedly replied: "No . They are slagging off bootnecks."

Scott was led away by two female friends and a man matching Morton's description then joined in the attack, kicking the victim while he was on the floor, according to the prosecution.

The Walkabout in Portsmouth where Kyle Bartlett was fatally injured

Mr Haggan said: 'Whatever the initial incident was about, whether words were exchanged or a drink was spilt, perhaps does not matter greatly.

'Scott was the first person to strike Mr Bartlett, followed shortly thereafter by Taylor, then Clarke joined in and finally Morton became involved towards the end.'

The alleged killers, who all deny murder, were thrown out of the bar and Morton immediately ran away, the jury heard.

Paramedics failed to resuscitate ET Bartlett in the bar. He was bleeding on the brain and had serious injuries at the top of his spine.

In police interview Scott said he had only asked ET Bartlett outside so he could hand him over to security staff. He denied kicking him and said he only used his fists.

Clarke told officers he only raised the chair above his head because it was in his way as he tried to walk away from the scuffle.

Morton denied being involved in the attack at all while Taylor refused to comment.

Witness Ms Williams told police she saw a man hit the victim six times in the face and chest.

Scott and Clarke, both from Portsmouth, together with Taylor, from Tunbridge Wells, Kent, and Morton from Middleton, Greater Manchester also deny a separate charge of affray.

Morton served with distinction in Afghanistan while Scott spent seven months in the country's Helmand province in 2008.

The trial continues.

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