The jury has retired to consider its verdict in the trial of Desmond Bartley, accused of killing Erith dad-of-two Tommy Main during a ‘punching game’ last year.

Last week Inner London Crown Court heard Mr Main was killed by a punch while playing a macho "blow for blow" game at a teenager's birthday party in Erith.

Mr Main, 23, said "that's a good one" and collapsed to the floor after he was hit in the upper chest by 21-year-old Bartley as they traded jabs, jurors heard.

The court heard the blow caused Mr Main’s heart to stop functioning properly, resulting in his death.

The pair had earlier been giggling and jumping on a bouncy castle at a neighbour's 16th birthday party in The Nursery, Erith, on June 28 last year.

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Tommy Main, 23, died in June last year.

Prosecutor Jonathan Rees told the court: "The evidence indicates that this punch was struck in the course of a macho game, referred by one witness as 'blow for blow', which involved both men agreeing to punch each other."

Keen sportsman Mr Main began to turn blue and despite the best efforts of the other party-goers and emergency services, was declared dead at Darent Valley Hospital at 1.28am.

A post-mortem examination revealed an area of "deep bruising" over the left side of the upper chest, which was likely to have resulted from a blow

Mr Main's cause of death was given as cardiac arrest following blunt chest impact in the presence of cocaine and alcohol.

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Accused: Desmond Bartley.

Mr Rees told the jury that Bartley is charged with manslaughter because his punch was a significant cause of Mr Main's death and because he intended to cause some physical injury to his friend.

The prosecutor added: "All sober and reasonable people would inevitably realise that punching the deceased in the way that the defendant did would subject the deceased to, at least, the risk of some physical harm."

When arrested and interviewed by police Bartley claimed he had been "play fighting" with Mr Main and admitted they had exchanged jabs, jurors heard.

In a prepared statement he said: "I hardly touched him and I said I didn't want to play anymore.

"He just stood there, took a breath, laughed and fainted on to the floor, forward."

Bartley, of Elm Grove, Erith, denies manslaughter.

The trial continues.