A teenager killed a Lydd man with a single punch during a row outside a pub, a court heard.

Sam Beaney, 18, struck 45-year-old Michael Beaumont to the side of his face, causing him to fall backwards and hit his head on the ground.

A jury at Maidstone Crown Court heard the impact fractured Mr Beaumont's skull and he died in hospital 12 days later.

Beaney, of Knights Way, Headcorn, was not part of the initial row between his friends, Mr Beaumont and his partner, Deborah Wenham, near the Royal Mail pub in Park Street, Lydd, in the early hours of May 22.

However, Dominic Connolly, prosecuting, said several witnesses later told police they saw Beaney, who was 17 at the time, walk up behind the two men arguing with Mr Beaumont and his partner and punch him.

Beaney was arrested the same day, but repeatedly denied any involvement.

He first claimed he had injured the knuckles on his left hand by scrapping them on a wall and then said he had punched a metal fence in frustration at his girlfriend.

Despite repeated questions, Beaney maintained he had not been at the scene, the jury of seven woman and five men was told.

But when officers told him to think "long and hard" about his answers because others had said they had seen him there, Beaney then claimed he had acted in self-defence after Mr Beaumont punched him first.

Beaney, who is left-handed, described his punch to Mr Beaumont as "like a jab". He added it was a "natural reaction" after Mr Beaumont punched him and he used his right hand.

He denies manslaughter and the trial is expected to end next Wednesday.

Mr Connolly told the court it was not the Crown's case that Beaney "intended to kill or seriously harm" Mr Beaumont, but intended to assault him.

"Perhaps the main issue is whether in punching Mr Beaumont he was acting in lawful self-defence or, as the Crown say, Beaney assaulted Mr Beaumont out of frustration in an attempt to bring an end to the incident that had been taking place for some time that night."

The trial continues.