Car wash worker sentenced for brawl that led to man’s death

A car wash worker has been sentenced for affray after a drunken brawl in Brighton led to the death of a father of two.

Lucian Sorenau, 32, was given an 18-month community order, having been cleared of manslaughter by a jury over the death of Anthony Barrigan, 44, from Liverpool.

Mr Barrigan died from a blood clot in his lung six weeks after the fight which happened in Windsor Street, Brighton, on the night of Saturday 18 June 2022.

After a week-long trial, the jury also acquitted Sorenau of assaulting Mr Barrigan’s girlfriend Sarah Chollerton, causing her actual bodily harm (ABH), but he was convicted of affray.

Sorenau, of Heron Court, Swanborough Place, Brighton, told police that he acted in self-defence, saying that Miss Chollerton hit him first when he refused to give her a light for her cigarette.

The jury appeared to accept that Sorenau was defending himself although a witness told the court that he kept trying to fight even when Mr Barrigan was on the ground with a broken ankle.

During the trial, Ben Irwin, prosecuting, said that when Mr Barrigan was on the ground, Sorenau stamped on his right ankle and broke it, causing him the most excruciating pain that he had ever felt in his life.

After a while Mr Barrigan managed to phone 999. The dead man’s call was played to the jury and a statement that he gave to Sussex Police was read out in court.

He said that he had been trying to calm the situation between Sorenau and Miss Chollerton, adding: “I lost my footing. I fell to the floor.”

Today (Friday 16 May), Judge Christine Henson praised the actions of a passer-by, chef Daniel Chambers, who also gave evidence during the trial, adding: “Unlike others, he didn’t walk away.”

Judge Henson said that Mr Chambers pulled the defendant away from the couple and tried to calm him down by talking to him.

The judge said: “The defendant was screaming and shouting … the defendant threw a push-bike at the woman (and) the defendant may have gone back to attack the man on the ground. He was having to keep the defendant away from the other two.

“Mobile phone footage was played at trial … It showed the aggression of the defendant at a time when Anthony Barrigan was on the floor and offering no threat to anyone.”

By the time the police arrived, Sorenau had left the scene and gone into Windsor Court where – after officers had to force their way in to a flat – he was arrested by Sussex Police.

Mr Irwin told the jury that Sorenau was found in a bed. He was intoxicated. Another man was there – Marian Firicescu. He was also arrested but no charges were laid against him.

Both Mr Barrigan and Miss Chollerton suffered black eyes and fat lips as well as other injuries and the father of two was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital, in Brighton.

He collapsed at Miss Chollerton’s home in Birmingham six weeks after the attack, on Monday 1 August 2022, when a blood clot travelled from his ankle wound to his lungs.

She called 999 and, although an ambulance arrived within minutes, the paramedics were unable to save him.

Today, Daniel Darnbrough, defending, said: “This defendant has always felt very strongly that he is not criminally responsible for Mr Barrigan’s death. He suffers from night terrors as a result of what happened.”

Judge Henson said that Sorenau, who followed the proceedings through a Romanian interpreter, had underlying problems linked to drink, drugs and an angry temper.

The judge said: “You clearly have issues with alcohol and cannabis. You are completely unwilling to address those issues. You have significant issues with your anger.

“You have four convictions in Romania. You came to this country to look for work. You have temporary settled status. That may well be under review after this sentence.

“Since your trial, you have been arrested for a knifepoint robbery. The complainant withdrew their support so there is no further action.

“You are on bail for assault on someone in the homeless community – something that does have an overlap with this case.

“The pre-sentence report makes, in my view, for pretty gloomy reading. You express no remorse for what happened back in 2022.”

The judge imposed an 18-month community order and told Sorenau to do 200 hours of unpaid work and attend up to 30 days of rehabilitation activity. He was also order to pay £1,200 towards the cost of the prosecution.

Judge Henson said: “Daniel Chambers got involved and was a good citizen. He tried to talk you down in your intoxicated state of anger. He tried to reason with you.

“He waited until an ambulance arrived. You had fled back to your father’s accommodation. You were under the influence of at least alcohol.”

The judge commended Mr Chambers and nominated him for a High Sheriff’s award of £500 “for his actions on that day”.