A 23-year-old Irish jump jockey was jailed for life
today for beating a man to death in England.
Christopher Martin McGrath was high on Ecstasy and alcohol when he smashed Gary Walton in the face with a brick then choked him, Teesside Crown Court was told.
McGrath, known to friends as Christy, was a jockey for Durham-based trainer Norman Mason and at the time of the murder, on July 17th last year, lived at Mason's stables at Brancepeth Manor Farm, Brancepeth village, County Durham.
The court heard that McGrath, formerly from Co. Tipperary, was drinking after hours in the Miners Arms in Coundon, County Durham, shortly before the attack.
After the pub closed its doors at 1.30am, McGrath and 37-year-old Mr Walton had a fight in the pub garden, during which McGrath - who was considerably smaller than his victim - knocked his opponent to the ground.
The jockey then picked up part of a brick and hit Mr Walton in the face before throttling him and leaving him for dead.
McGrath pleaded not guilty to murder when he appeared in court in October last year, but changed his plea to guilty today.
PA