Two brothers admit killing banker
Two brothers have pleaded guilty to killing a wealthy banker.
Tom Cowles, 22, and his brother Ben, 21, both of Norwich, admitted the manslaughter of Frank McGarahan during an incident in the city in the early hours of September 28 last year.
Mr McGarahan, 45, of Much Hadham, Hertfordshire, died in hospital after suffering head injuries, Norwich Crown Court heard.
Both brothers had denied murdering Mr McGarahan. But both have now also admitted affray, and Ben Cowles also admitted assaulting another man.
Mr McGarahan worked for Barclays and ran an arm of the bank which managed the assets of some of the world's richest people.
Prosecutor Mark Dennis QC said Mr McGarahan, plus a cousin and a brother, had witnessed an assault on another man in central Norwich at about 3am. Mr Dennis said they had stepped in to help, then been attacked.
He said Mr McGarahan had been knocked to the floor within three minutes of intervening, after being punched to the head and put in a headlock.
Mr Dennis said the banker, a father of two, lapsed into a coma and did not recover.
"Both young men took part in an unnecessary and joint attack on Frank McGarahan, his brother and cousin," said Mr Dennis.
"In the circumstances we submit (they) bravely intervened when many others would have stepped back."
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