Drugs row death: Guntars Gansons cleared of manslaughter
A man who denied the manslaughter of a 21-year-old man he punched in a row about drugs has been cleared of manslaughter.
Guntars Gansons, 26, told jurors at Lincoln Crown Court he struck out in self-defence after Martins Lipsis went to hit him.
The jury took less than an hour to return a not guilty verdict.
Mr Gansons struck Mr Lipsis, 21, at a house in Spalding, on 23 December and he died on Christmas Day.
The prosecution had argued that Mr Gansons acted in anger rather than self-defence when he delivered the fatal blow.
The trial heard that Mr Gansons, a Latvian national, confronted Mr Lipsis following the discovery of a stash of drugs at the property.
Mr Gansons said he felt angry about the drugs and when he arrived at the property went straight upstairs to see Mr Lipsis.
He said he then punched Mr Lipsis before pushing him away.
As he left the property he said Mr Lipsis was was coughing but appeared to be alright.
Mr Lipsis died two days later on Christmas Day after suffering a bleed on his brain.