A man who was charged with murder following the death of his brother has admitted a lesser charge of assault. 

Police were called at around 6.40pm on Saturday September 5 to an incident in which a man had been assaulted near to Barclays Bank in Lancaster.

Officers were then subsequently called at 10.15am on Monday September 7 to a house in Chestnut Grove, Lancaster, following reports of a sudden death. 

Police were quickly able to establish that the man who had died was 46-year-old Seamus Cuffe, who was also the victim of the earlier altercation on Saturday September 5.

Following enquiries, Kieran Cuffe, Seamus’ brother was arrested, and after consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service, Kieran Cuffe, 48, of Dunkeld Street, Lancaster was charged with murder.

However, after further pathological evidence was examined, Seamus Cuffe’s death was shown to have no link to the assault.

His death will now proceed to an inquest.

Kieran Cuffe, 48, of Dunkeld Street appeared at Preston Crown Court on December 18 when the murder charge was formally withdrawn and replaced with a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

He has pleaded guilty to that charge and will be sentenced on February 18.

The Cuffe family have been informed.