September 9, 2020 10.27 am This story is over 42 months old

Boston man guilty of knuckleduster murder

He will be sentenced on Friday

A Boston man has been found guilty of the murder of Darren Birks who was savagely beaten with a knuckleduster.

Cole Newark, 22, of Witham Bank West, was convicted at Nottingham Crown Court after he was found guilty of murder, and possession of an offensive weapon, which was using during the attack on the evening of April 29, 2019.

The trial heard how 40-year-old Birks was beaten by Newark, who had armed himself with a knuckleduster on Ingram Road in Boston.

The swelling to the victim’s face and head was so severe that he was placed in an induced coma in hospital, but he sadly died on May 9 and messages of support flooded in from friends and family.

Newark entered a not guilty plea to murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He is due to be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on Friday, September 11.

According to court reports, Newark had seriously injured a former friend with the same weapon during an incident just weeks before. It is claimed he hit him so hard it damaged a titanium plate in the man’s head.

Detective Chief Inspector Karl Whiffen, leading the investigation, said: “This has been a very difficult time for the family of Mr Birks who sadly died following a brutal attack. Our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time.”