'I'll f****** bang you out bro', murder accused alleged to have told flatmate before fatal altercation in the street

A murder trial heard of a 'dispute' before a man was allegedly murdered in the street by his flatmate. Lee Burns, 38, denies the murder of Vincent ‘Vinny’ McDonagh.

Mr McDonagh, 45, was found unconscious on Abbey Hills Road in Oldham. The pair had been walking home from the pub when the incident occurred.

Prosecutors claim Mr Burns acted in 'anger' following a row, but Mr Burns argues he was acting in self-defence. Jurors at Manchester Crown Court have heard that the disagreement 'may have been something as innocuous as Mr McDonagh making a call on Mr Burns’ phone'. Mr Burns is alleged to have told Mr McDonagh: "I will f****** bang out out bro."

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"I made one phone call," Mr McDonagh is said to have told him. "F*** off bro," Mr Burns allegedly said.

Jurors have heard that the pair both lived in separate rooms in a block of flats on Worsley Street in Oldham. Mr Burns had moved there in September last year, while Mr McDonagh arrived the following month.

On the night of the incident, on Thursday, November 9 last year, Mr McDonagh had lent Mr Burns £20 and they went to the Manor Inn pub together. They left at about 10.45pm when the pub closed.

Prosecutors said that as the pair walked home together 'the conversation between them seemed to take a turn for the worse'. “Clearly it was something that wound Mr Burns up, significantly." prosecutor Rob Hall said in his opening speech to the jury. "That resulted in a physical coming together that ultimately meant that Vinny McDonagh fell to the ground.

“Thereafter the defendant, the Crown say in anger, punched Mr McDonagh to the head, knocking Mr McDonagh