Friend plans to name baby after Blackburn man killed on night out

Carl Rutherford, 23, was the first to be called to the stand during the four-day trial of a 17-year-old accused of manslaughter.

The youth, who cannot be named, was found guilty on Thursday when the jury returned a unanimous verdict after just one hour and 15 minutes.

Carl was punched in the nose during the fight which ‘peacemaker’ Adam was trying to keep his attacker away from.

He said: “Giving evidence was the second worst experience of my life, the first being what happened on that night.

“I’ve been trying to forget about itfor the past six months and have only spoken about it once.”

During the trial, the court heard how Carl had been hit with an object by the defendant and spat at him in response.

He said: “It was a bad reaction. Something was thrown at me, I didn’t want to hit him and in the heat of the moment I did it.

“It was something and nothing at first, just rowdy lads and exchange of words.”

Carl recalls his ‘mind going blank’ while being grilled over his statement in the witness stand.

“I was looking at the barrister and he was asking questions, but my brain was not functioning.

“It was a really difficult experience.

“I made a deliberate decision not to look at anyone else while I was in court. I didn’t want to go to sleep at night with the defendant’s face in my mind.”

Now Carl, who ‘instantly bonded’ with Adam when they met through mutual friends to form a football team, says the memory of the 24-year-old football coach will live on.

“Luckily, since this happened my girlfriend has fallen pregnant and is 26 weeks along. His middle name will be Adam. We’ve got a new home, so I’ve had other things to take my mind of it.”

Carl said he and Adam struck up a friendship when they started playing football together for the team they were forming - St Mary’s Old Boys FC.

Adam’s number 14 shirt was retired and the players have been wearing black armbands all season, playing in the Accrington Combination League.