Man Jailed Over Fatal Attack on Elderly Victim After Trivial Dispute
Brutal Assault Over Cigarette Butts Ends in Death
A 62-year-old man was locked up after a petty argument erupted into deadly violence in a Margate hotel.
David Harris grabbed, punched, and headbutted 77-year-old Sidney Collier in the doorway of their shared building back in October 2020.
The horrific assault caused Mr Collier to fall, hitting his head and suffering a fatal brain bleed. He died in hospital the very next day.
Police Nab Offender After Gruesome CCTV Footage
Harris, from Buenos Ayres, Margate, pleaded guilty to manslaughter in February 2021. Last Friday, Maidstone Crown Court sentenced him to four years and nine months behind bars.
The attack ignited after Harris wrongly accused Mr Collier of dropping cigarette butts on his balcony — even though the butts weren’t the victim’s.
The day before the assault, Harris was overheard threatening to “knock him out” and “do him outside.”
Attack Caught on Camera
At around 5pm on 6 October 2020, Harris barged into the communal hallway just as Mr Collier was entering. Police seized CCTV showing Harris grabbing the victim by the chest, punching his face, then delivering a brutal headbutt.
Mr Collier then stumbled back, hit his head on the floor, and later died from the injury.
Investigator Condemns “Explosive Temper”
Detective Inspector Garry Cook of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: “This case shows how even the smallest arguments can end in tragedy. Harris’s explosive temper led to this vicious attack on a man in his 70s.
“Police acted fast and gathered evidence that swiftly led to his guilty plea. Harris will now spend time in prison to reflect on the terrible consequences of his actions.”
