Man whose punch led to Riccardo Holness death gives evidence

Thomas Spicer punched Riccardo Holness following an altercation outside a bar on Beckenham High Street on October 17, 2021. 

The 42-year-old dad was rushed to King’s College Hospital where he remained on life support until his death a month later. 

A post-mortem gave the cause of death as blunt force trauma to the head. 

Mr Spicer admits striking Riccardo but has not faced any criminal charges. 

Riccardo Holness with friends (Image: Supplied) At Riccardo’s inquest on Tuesday (November 5) Edmund Gritt, assistant coroner for south London, warned Mr Spicer that he did not have to answer questions if the answer might incriminate himself. 

The court saw CCTV footage which showed Riccardo involved in an altercation with Mr Spicer’s friend, Jack Henderson, outside My Place bar. 

After an initial altercation Riccardo was dragged away by a bouncer, but he returned and the altercation resumed. 

The footage then showed Mr Spicer punch Riccardo to the face, knocking him to the ground. 

Mr Spicer alleged that when Riccardo returned he had “swung” for Mr Henderson. 

Mr Spicer refused to answer the majority of the questions asked of him by assistant coroner Mr Gritt and by the Holness family's legal representative, Ms Mitchell. 

Ms Mitchell said: “Do you agree that Mr Holness was not the aggressor in the situation? 

“Mr Holness was about four feet away from your friend at the point just before punched him? 

“Do you agree that just before you hit him he had taken some steps backwards? 

“Do you think you may have miscalculated the threat that Mr Holness posed to both yourself and Mr Henderson when you punched him? 

“Mr Spicer you took a run up and punched Mr Holness tremendously hard. Do you agree that the use of force you used was completely unreasonable in the circumstances? 

“After you punch Mr Holness you stand on him, I’m going to suggest you then attempt to punch him again.” 

Each time Mr Spicer responded “I do not wish to answer”. 

In his police interview Mr Spicer said he had been at the Natural History Museum, before going to a Wetherspoons in Victoria, then a Wetherspoons in Bromley South and finally on to My Place in Beckenham. 

He said he had a couple of pints of Fosters, three or four double rum and cokes and a couple of Jägerbombs during that time – but said he was not drunk. 

In the interview Mr Spicer said when Riccardo returned to the situation after being dragged away by the bouncer, he thought “oh crap, he’s back something is going to happen”. 

Ms Mitchell put to Mr Spicer that if he was sober he might have appreciated the risks involved in a punch – again he declined to answer. 

Mr Spicer also declined to answer whether he considered other ways to de-escalate the situation. 

Riccardo Holness (Image: Supplied)

Earlier in the day assistant coroner Mr Gritt read a pen portrait of Riccardo written by his older sister, Ramona Marsh.  

Riccardo was a dad-of-one and lived in Thornton Heath.  

Ramona said: “Riccardo has always been a person who enjoyed the company of others. He enjoyed talking to people from all walks of life.”  

Riccardo was an entrepreneur and Ramona said at the time of his death he had just secured some big contracts and was looking forward to the future as his business was growing. 

Ramona said: “Riccardo was always there for his family and friends, often giving up his time to help others.”  

During the pandemic he regularly delivered groceries to those who were housebound or elderly, she said.  

Ramona said: “He rarely went on a night out as he worked seven days a week and had his dog Rocky to look after.” 

The inquest continues.