Exeter drug dealer killed man with single punch

A drug dealer has been found guilty of killing a homeless man two days after being released from prison.

Guy Pottle, 32, hit Antony Moore with a single punch during a drunken argument in Exeter city centre.

Pottle denied manslaughter but was found guilty by a jury at Exeter Crown Court. He will be sentenced in February.

He had previously served a four-year sentence for attacking a friend with a machete.

Pottle had recently been recalled to prison on drugs charges but was released by a judge and handed a rehabilitation order two days before his attack on Mr Moore.

The pair had been drinking heavily on 30 June when they got into an argument over a bottle of wine.

Mr Moore, 40, was killed with a single punch, which knocked him back so violently that he cracked his head on the pavement.

He died at Derriford Hospital in Plymouth nine days later.

Pottle, formerly of North Street, Hatherleigh, claimed he felt threatened and was acting in self defence, but CCTV showed Mr Moore with his hands by his sides.

He had attacked the manager of a local Sainsbury's store just 23 minutes earlier, after he was caught shoplifting a bottle of wine.

Pottle has several previous convictions for violence and served a four-year jail term in 2014 for attacking one of his friends with a machete, which he also carried out when he was drunk and on drugs.

Det Supt Jo Hall said: "We welcome today's outcome and our thoughts are with the family of Anthony Moore."