Colin Thomas

Colin Thomas was punched outside the Eagles Inn at Acrefair, near Wrexham on Friday 22 May 1992 and later died in hospital on Monday 25 May 1992.

A 23-year-old man was charged with his manslaughter, but there are no more known details.

It was thought that Colin Thomas had been struck whilst trying to act as a peacemaker and stop a fight.

After being punched he fell to the pavement, injuring his head. He was rushed to the hospital at Wrexham after which he was transferred to Walton Hospital in Liverpool where he underwent emergency surgery. However, he never recovered consciousness and with agreement with his family his life support machines were switched off on Monday 25 May 1992.

It was reported that there had been about 120 customers in the pub at the time and another 30 that had been milling about outside.

His brother said they his family were not sure about how he came to be punched. He said, 'He was an easy-going, very friendly person who would do anything for anyone. He never caused any trouble. He just went out for a drink. From what we have been told by some of the people who were there, he walked over to stop people fighting. He was struck and fell to the pavement'.

The police said that it appeared that there had been two separate scuffles on the pavement. They said, 'There is no doubt that he went over to one group who were fighting, but we may never know exactly why'.

Colin Thomas had lived in Llangollen Terrace, Acrefair and had been a building labourer. He had had five sisters and two brothers.