A man has pleaded guilty to the malicious wounding of a Dublin-based tennis player, Gareth Parker, in June 1996. A charge of manslaughter against Andre Shoukri was dropped yesterday at Belfast Crown Court.
The tennis star was on a visit to his native Belfast when he became involved in a fight between two groups outside the Shaftesbury Inn on Belfast's Antrim Road on the night of June 21st, 1996.
According to witnesses Mr Parker (23) was knocked to the ground by a blow to the head from Shoukri (20) and within seconds was run over by a passing car. causing severe injuries to his skull.
The injured man was kept on a life-support system for three days in the Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast, before it was turned off on June 25th after doctors declared him brain-dead.
In October last year Shoukri, from Westland Way in north Belfast, went on trial for the manslaughter of Mr Parker, but after a week-long hearing the jury failed to reach a verdict.
Yesterday Shoukri pleaded guilty to a further charge of unlawfully and maliciously wounding Mr Parker, and a Crown lawyer told Mr Justice Higgins the manslaughter count would not be proceeded with.
A second man, Garry Mackenzie (25), from Halliday's Road, Belfast, pleaded guilty earlier last year to assaulting Mr Parker.
During his trial Shoukri also pleaded guilty to this count.
Both men will be sentenced later this month following the preparation of probation reports.