Ex-soldier killed on night out celebrating cancer all-clear
A FORMER solder died after being struck in the face with a bottle on a night out celebrating being given the all-clear from a cancer scare.
Derby Crown Court heard Connor Rose “ran at” and “lunged” at Joe Robotham outside a Derbyshire nightclub.
The jury was told the force of the blow immediately rendered the 23-year-old victim unconscious and he fell to the ground cracking his head on the pavement.
Then, as Mr Robotham’s girlfriend rushed to his aid, Rose was heard to say “he deserved it”.
Rose, of no fixed address, is on trial for the murder of the victim. He has already admitted manslaughter, but denies the more serious charge.
Prosecutor Katherine Goddard QC, opening the trial, told the jury: “He was holding the bottle in a way that the prosecution say is wholly inconsistent with what he later told the police.
“He knew he had the bottle in his hand and you have to decide what his intention was when he struck him with it. The prosecution say he changed his grip from a defensive one to an aggressive one, which proves what his intention was when he struck Joe.”
The incident took place shortly before 4am on Saturday, February 8, outside Vibe in Holywell Street, Chesterfield.
Miss Goddard said after being hit, falling and striking his head on the floor, Mr Robotham, of Old
Whittington, suffered catastrophic injuries from which he never recovered. He died in hospital the following evening.
Opening the case she said: “Joseph Robotham, known as Joe, had been a solider who had served his country well, but left and was at the time living a life in civvy street with his girlfriend.
“They were living together, but their life plans were ended in the early hours of Saturday, February 8.
“On that Friday he and his girlfriend got the good news for an issue that had been hanging over them and was causing some distress. There had been a suspicion he might have cancer, but on that Friday morning he received a phone call giving him the all-clear.”
Miss Goddard said the couple decided to go out the following evening in Chesterfield to celebrate the news. They initially went out separately, but met up at the Vibe Bar. While in the club Mr Robotham got into an argument with a friend of Rose and they were both ejected through the fire door by doormen.
Miss Goddard said: “The confrontation continued on the pavement outside where they squared up to each other, but no punches were thrown.
“CCTV clearly shows Mr Rose make his way out of the nightclub and is seen moving a beer bottle from one hand to the other.
“He is seen to run at and lunge at Joe from the side and from that angle it was clearly not possible for Joe to see him. He swung at him hard and fast hitting Joe to the face with the bottle. The force immediately rendered him unconscious, falling heavily and hitting his head on the ground.
“His girlfriend saw him fall and went to tend to him and as she did so Connor Rose said words along the lines of ‘he deserved it’ and then ran off chased by other witnesses.”
Miss Goddard said the defendant was later identified and in his first interview denied having anything in his hand.
The trial continues.