A WITNESS to the alleged murder of Barry Tyrie, who died after a fight at a working man’s club in Haslingden, said John Taylor launched ‘a goal kick’ at Mr Tyrie’s head as he lay on the ground.

Giving evidence from behind a screen at Preston Crown Court, Anthony Schofield said there was an angry, tense mood outside the Regent Street Working Men’s Club on August 25.

The jury was told John Taylor was arguing with a woman called Lizzy, who he did not get on with.

“They were calling each other all the names under the sun,” Mr Schofield said.

During the row, the woman kneed John Taylor between the legs, and John “absolutely flipped”, it is alleged.

“They were raging,” Mr Schofield told the court.

A moment later, Barry Tyrie, 69, came out of the club and punched John Taylor, causing him to fall over.

Mr Schofield said he presumed he was sticking up for Lizzy.

John Taylor got back up and Daniel stepped in to help his dad.

In a witness statement, Mr Schofield said: “Daniel climbed on top of Barry and punched him three or four times to the head.

“I saw John come in and kick Barry really hard to the face. The strength of the kick, it was more like a goal kick than a pass.”

Mr Schofield said some of what he saw was “a bit blurry” as he had drunk around six pints of Fosters, but insisted he had seen John Taylor kick Mr Tyrie on the ground.

He said: “I saw it with my own eyes.”

Mr Tyrie was found critically injured outside the club at 10.25pm.

He later died in hospital.

John Taylor, 57, and Daniel Taylor, 30, both of Blackburn Road, Haslingden, deny murder, claiming they were acting in self defence.

Prosecutor Tim Evans had earlier told the jury that a post-mortem examination showed there had been multiple impacts to Mr Tyrie’s head and neck, at least seven. Mr Tyrie suffered bruising around the right eye, over the nose, on the chin and extensively over the left side of the face and jaw, consistent with and typical of repeated blows from punches, kicks or stamps.

Mr Evans said: “The defendants were interviewed.

“Taylor Snr said, and will no doubt repeat that he was acting in self-defence, did not intend to kill Barry Tyrie and was not acting jointly with his son.

“Taylor Jnr said and will no doubt repeat in court that anything he did was in self-defence, or the defence of his father and he too did not intend to kill or cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Tyrie.”

The case continues.