The row in the rubbish dump queue that left a man dead

Last updated at 21:39 27 November 2006


A heated row over queue-jumping at a council rubbish tip in Surrey ended with the death of a motorist, the Old Bailey has heard.

Retired consultant engineer Colin Jones, 72, of Epsom, broke the arm of another driver after his BMW car was cut up at the entrance to the dump, it was alleged.

Chartered surveyor David Henson, 53, of Coulsdon, died a few hours later when his heart stopped following an operation to repair his broken arm.

The incident happened on a Sunday afternoon in January 2005 at the Epsom refuse site. Mr Henson, who was driving a borrowed Vauxhall Astra, died at 3am the next morning.

Jones denies manslaughter and grievous bodily harm.

Victor Temple QC, prosecuting, said that, unknown to anyone, Mr Henson had an enlarged heart which had been put under strain by the operation.

He told the jury the prosecution case was that his death was a direct result of the incident at the tip.

Mr Temple said: "It had all the hallmarks of this defendant becoming an angry and intemperate man, over-reacting to a marked degree."

He added: "In any view, the deceased pushed ahead of this defendant as they were both waiting to enter the refuge site.

"Neither man behaved particularly well, good manners being lost to both of them."

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