Steven Carroll cleared of the manslaughter of Arron Wasdell

Steven Carroll, who was accused of pushing Arron Wasdell in front of a car, has formally been cleared of manslaughter after the judge directed the jury to return a not guilty verdict after the case against him collapsed.

Mr Carroll, 33, who was described as an acquaintance of Arron Wasdell, was accused of causing him to stumble into the road after launching an attack on him in the early hours of 16 November 2014.

Mr Wasdell, 28, was hit by a Kia Shuma on Manchester Old Road, Rhodes, Middleton, after a night out drinking at the Carter Arms.

Bu the case against Mr Carroll, who denied manslaughter, collapsed in its final stages after prosecutors failed to prove that the accused had unlawfully attacked Mr Wasdell.

The driver who hit Mr Wasdell told Manchester Crown Court that he believed that the victim had been ‘pushed’ in front of his vehicle, but described his evidence as an ‘estimation’.

The court also heard claims that Mr Wasdell had stumbled into the road after taking a swing at Mr Carroll and that while the accused tried to punch back, he did not make contact with Mr Wasdell.

Defence QC Nick Clarke made a successful ‘no case to answer’ application to Judge Michael Henshell on day four of the trial.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/92582/man-charged-following-the-death-of-arron-wasdell