Ex-boxer jailed for club killing fights to clear his name

A former British army boxing champion has launched a fight to have his manslaughter conviction struck out by claiming his legal counsel fumbled his defence.

In March 2000, a jury found Barry Peter Miller, 41, an army physical training instructor with 22 years' service, guilty of the manslaughter of Australian Gary Tait, 34, outside the New Pussy Cat nightclub in Wan Chai on April 20, 1997. He was also found guilty of wounding Tait, who lapsed into a coma and died in hospital nine days later.

The trial judge said Mr Miller had punched Tait inside the club and later on the street outside.

Mr Miller denied the second confrontation, saying he had been inside the club when Tait had collapsed and had tried to resuscitate him after finding him. He was sentenced to two years' jail by the Court of First Instance and released on June 23 last year.

He recently returned from Britain and is now seeking to clear his name.

Mr Miller told the Court of Appeal yesterday he had wanted the testimony of former colleague Timothy Best - who testified he saw Mr Miller punch Tait outside the club - excluded, as his friend fitted the description of a man seen close to Tait shortly before Tait's collapse on the footpath.

He claimed yesterday it was 'odd' that Mr Best changed his original statement to suddenly point the finger at him after Hong Kong authorities and the British army granted him immunity.