Emsworth: Man jailed for killing Stephen Harrington

A man has been jailed for killing a "much-loved family man" who died after receiving a severe blow to the head.

Stephen Harrington died in hospital on 25 July - two days after he was found with a serious head injury in Emsworth, West Sussex.

Tarin Linfield, 21, denied his murder, but admitted manslaughter and was sentenced at Lewes Crown Court on Friday.

He was jailed for a total of five years and three months.

Linfield, of Common Road, Hambrook, near Chichester, had also admitted a charge of conspiracy to steal and was jailed for 15 months, to run concurrently.

It was the prosecution's case that three men visited Marlpit Lane in Emsworth that night to steal from Mr Harrington.

Police said Mr Harrington died after a "severe" blow to the head, believed to be caused by a piece of wood.

Three men were originally charged with his murder: Thomas Goldring, 21, Joseph Butler, 23, and Linfield.

On 24 January, Linfield pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to a charge of manslaughter and his plea was accepted by the court.

Mr Goldring, of no fixed address, died in December 2022 and as result, any statements provided by him could no longer be used as evidence in court, Sussex Police said..

Butler, 23, of Priors Leaze Lane, Hambrook, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to steal, which was accepted by the prosecution.

He pleaded not guilty to murder, which was allowed to lie on file.

Butler was given a prison sentence of 15 months, suspended for two years, and ordered to undertake 30 hours of unpaid work.

Mr Harrington's family have said they were left "devastated and heartbroken" by his death.

Det Ch Insp Gareth Hicks, from Sussex Police, said: "From the outset, we've had to rely on the defendants' accounts to try and piece together the events of that night.

"Unfortunately, only those who were there will ever know exactly what happened."

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