Four men appear in court charged with manslaughter of Jack Barnes while they were working as contracted Metrolink staff

Jack Barnes, 29, died seven weeks after an incident in which it is alleged he was restrained

Four men have appeared in court charged with the manslaughter of a dad while they were working as contracted Metrolink staff. Jack Barnes, 29, from Hull, suffered a cardiac arrest during an incident in December 2016 in which it is alleged he was restrained.

He died seven weeks after the incident on December 2, near Australasia restaurant in Spinningfields, Manchester city centre.

The charges against four men were brought following an inquest into Mr Barnes' death, Manchester Magistrates' Court heard on Thursday (January 4).

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Stephen Rowlands, 67, of Wearish Lane in Bolton; Brian Gartside, 59, of Danesworth Avenue in Whitworth; Matthew Sellers, 29, of Heathfield Road in Bury; and Paul Fogarty, 50, of Monks Lane in Bolton were told the case would be sent to Manchester Crown Court for a plea and trial preparation hearing on February 8. They have all been charged with manslaughter.

Mr Rowlands faces an additional charge of perverting the course of justice in relation to a witness statement. Chair of the bench Dr Lorraine Lighton told the men: "You have heard what has been said. This offence is too serious to be dealt with in the magistrates' court and must go to the Crown Court."

The four men were granted unconditional bail ahead of the next hearing.