A drunken brawl, triggered by a dispute over women, which broke out outside the Ranch House Club in Ilford, Essex, on Friday, December 23rd, 1960, ended with Ronald Coomber, 28, being kicked to death the blow that killed him was actually caused by his attacker stamping on his throat.
The following March four men were tried at the Old Bailey with his murder. Police evidence was geared towards suggesting witnesses had claimed that they saw the four men involved in the fight. But when this was tested in court, none of the witnesses had seen any of the four involved in he fray.
The judge, highly critical of the police case, stopped the three-day trial, ordered a not guilty verdict, and awarded damages to the four accused.