A 35-year-old man has been convicted of manslaughter and attempted robbery in connection with the death of an ex Felixstowe dock worker, who was found unconscious outside his Ipswich home almost four years ago.

Clive Wyard, aged 74, was found collapsed on his driveway in Valley Road at 7.15am on Friday 20 July 2018. 

He had sustained injuries to his head and face, including black eyes, a split frenulum lip, a further cut to his lip, a deep cut to his cheek and other cuts to his body. He was taken to Ipswich Hospital where he tragically died 12 days later.

A post-mortem examination concluded that Mr Wyard died as a result of a severe head injury, having sustained a skull fracture and a bleed on the brain.

Rhys Burroughs, previously of Colchester Road in Ipswich, was charged with murder and attempted robbery in May last year. He denied the charges and was due to stand trial next month.

Ipswich Crown Court where killer appeared via video link from Norwich prison

However today, Tuesday 31 May, he appeared before Ipswich Crown Court via video link and pleaded guilty to manslaughter and attempted robbery.

It had been known from the outset that Mr Wyard had left the Royal George public house on Colchester Road shortly after midnight on 20 July 2018 and then embarked on the approximately 20-minute walk home to his property, which was near to the junction of Westerfield Road.

An inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Mr Wyard's death by the Joint Norfolk and Suffolk Major Investigation Team then followed, which after pursuing a number of lines of enquiry ultimately found forensic evidence linking Rhys Burroughs to the crime scene.

His guilty pleas today are an admission that he assaulted and injured Mr Wyard during an attempted robbery and although he attests he did not intend to kill him, his actions that night were undeniably the cause of his death.

Burroughs - who is currently serving a prison term for another offence – will appear at Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing on Monday 5 September.