A BBC television director cleared of killing a retired grammar school teacher in a row over Welsh independence has apologised to the dead man’s family.
Hywel Williams, 40, was filmed pushing Peter Ormerod, 75, in the street following an argument in a pub in Burry Port, West Wales.
CCTV shown to a jury at Swansea Crown Court captured the moment Williams placed his hands on the 75-year-old just moments after they left the pub.
But Williams was found not guilty of manslaughter by a jury. He claimed he was acting in self-defence after being lunged at by Mr Ormerod.
And yesterday, in an exclusive interview with Mailonline, Willians issued a heartfelt apology to the dead man’s family.
Peter Ormerod, 75, (right) died in hospital from severe head injuries four days after a row with BBC director Hywel Williams (left)
CCTV footage showed BBC director Hywel Williams, 40, pushing Peter Ormerod, 75, in a pub car park following the row
He said: ‘This was a tragic incident. I feel very sorry for his family.’
Williams said the period since Mr Ormerod’s death has been ‘a very difficult time’, adding: ‘I am still in a bit of shock, but very relieved to have been cleared.’
He said: ‘It has been a very difficult time. It has been terrible.’
Williams was speaking from Cardiff, where he lives in a terraced home in the Grangetown area of the city.
The court had heard the respected teacher hit his head on the ground and died four days later from severe head injuries.
The court heard Williams works as a director for Welsh language soap opera Pobol Y Cwm on Welsh language channel S4C.
Jurors heard the TV director and retired teacher had an argument about Welsh independence inside the Portabello pub in Burry Port.
In another clip shown to the jury, the two men engaged in an animated conversation at the pub – with Williams angrily jabbing his finger at his victim.
Williams later pushed former grammar school maths teacher Mr Ormerod to the floor in a clash outside.
A court heard the two men ‘had opposing views’ on whether Wales should be independent from the British state.
Williams told his manslaughter trial that he was fed-up with the row over Welsh politics which angered Mr Ormerod.
The BBC director said he told Mr Ormerod: ‘I don’t have time for this mate I don’t want any of this.’
Williams said Mr Ormerod replied: ‘Don’t you ever speak to me like that again. How dare you speak to me like that.’
‘I thought he was going to get back up,’ he said.
Williams dialled 999 and tried to seek medical assistance and admitted pushing the older man to police.
‘I did everything I could to help him,’ he told the court.
Mr Ormerod died in hospital four days later on September 28 last year having suffered traumatic head and brain injuries.
Prosecutor Ian Wright KC told how the row flared when Mr Ormerod and Williams were drinking in the Portobello pub.
CCTV from inside the pub showed the two men in animated conversation before they left the pub separately.
CCTV footage from inside the pub showed Paul Ormerod (left) and Hywel Williams (right) engaged in an animated discussion about Welsh independence
Ex-grammar school maths teacher Paul Ormerod hit the ground after being pushed by Hywel Williams
Mr Wright said: ‘During the course of that Saturday evening they were seated, at one point, in close proximity to each other.
‘The conversation between them [at] the table turned to Welsh independence and Welsh politics generally.
‘Peter Ormerod and Hywel Williams had opposing views on these topics and expressed these opposing views – and there was something of a disagreement between them in terms of the views being expressed.’
Swansea Crown Court heard Williams left the pub to go and check his phone with Mr Ormerod leaving ‘at around the same time’ when he walked out with the defendant’s mother.
Williams said the two men swore at each other before he pushed Mr Ormerod to the floor in self-defence.
He said: ‘I felt scared and pushed him.’
He said he hadn’t meant to hurt Mr Ormerod, but just to push him away.
‘I thought he was going to get back up,’ he said.
Mr Williams dialled 999 and tried to seek medical assistance and admitted pushing the older man to police.
‘I did everything I could to help him,’ he told the court.
Mr Ormerod died in hospital four days later on September 28 last year having suffered traumatic head and brain injuries.
Prosecutor Ian Wright KC told how the row flared when Mr Ormerod and Williams were drinking in the Portobello pub.
CCTV from inside the pub showed the two men in animated conversation before they left the pub separately.
Swansea Crown Court heard Williams left the pub to go and check his phone with Mr Ormerod leaving ‘at around the same time’ when he walked out with the defendant’s mother.
Paul Ormerod (pictured) previously taught at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School for Boys in Carmarthen
CCTV footage showed Paul Ormerod (pictured) and Hywel Williams in a confrontation outside the pub
Mr Wright said there was CCTV of the two men coming together outside a coffee shop a short distance from the pub before Williams allegedly pushed the older man to the floor.
‘The two men appear on the CCTV to move towards each other before Hywel Williams pushes Peter Ormerod to the chest.
‘That push caused Peter Ormerod to fall backwards on the back of his head.
‘Having hit the ground, having hit his head on the ground, Peter Ormerod did not move again.’
Mr Wright said Williams phone and ambulance and remained at the scene until he was arrested by police over the alleged attack.
Williams, of Grangetown, Cardiff, denied manslaughter saying he acted in self defence.
In a tribute following widower Mr Ormerod’s death, his family said: ‘Peter was a well respected teacher and member of the community a very loved and loving father, grandfather, brother and friend.’
Mr Ormerod previously taught at Queen Elizabeth’s Grammar School for Boys in Carmarthen, and at the Welsh language school Ysgol Bro Myrddin.
Judge Paul Thomas KC told Williams he was free to leave the court.
Judge Thomas KC described it as a ‘terribly, terribly sad case’ and he offered his condolences to the family of Mr Ormerod.
