A MAN was today jailed for manslaughter after he felled a father-of-two with a single blow causing fatal head injuries when he struck the ground near a pub in Yeadon.

Richard Davies, 52, died in hospital four days after the blow from Vincent Greaves, who regularly used a gym to keep fit, Leeds Crown Court was told.

Mr Davies had approached Greaves after seeing him throw another man to the ground after following him from the Aviator public house early on May 31.

Sentencing Greaves, Mr Justice Males said CCTV showed Mr Davies had his hands open and his arms by his side when he asked what he was doing that for.

“He was not making any threatening gesture as he approached. You turned towards him, stepped forward to meet him and without justification or any attempt to avoid confrontation you punched him solidly in the face with your fist.”

“It was a blow delivered with force. You are a well built and fit man. He fell straight back on the floor and was knocked unconscious.”

The judge said after initially walking away Greaves had returned and put Mr Davies in the recovery position before leaving again.

The court heard Mr Davies was still unconscious when the ambulance and police arrived. He was taken to Leeds General Infirmary where he remained in intensive care until he died on June 4.

A post-mortem examination showed he had deep bruising around his right eye from the punch and fracture to the bones at the base of the skull leading to acute bleeding and swelling of the brain as a result of his unbroken fall to the ground.

Greaves, 25, of Silver Cross Way, Guiseley, admitted manslaughter and was jailed for four and a half years.

Mr Justice Males said he accepted Greaves had not intended to kill or even cause serious injury to Mr Davies. “Nevertheless it was a forceful punch on a man twice your age who was not in fact making any threatening gesture to you.”

The result for Mr Davies’s family and friends had been devastating.

“I have read the victim personal statement from his widow, it makes heartbreaking reading. She and her family will have to live with the consequences of this incident for the remainder of their lives.

“Whatever sentence I pass cannot bring Mr Davies back or bring comfort to his family, their loss will continue for them after you have served your sentence.”

He said he bore in mind that Greaves had also chosen to be involved in the earlier confrontation when he and a friend followed a man from the pub.

Paul Mitchell prosecuting said neither Mr Davies nor Greaves were involved when that earlier incident had begun inside the public house involving a drunken man called Jason White.

He had knocked another customer to the floor and Liam Hancock, a friend of Greaves had told him to calm down. Mr White had then threatened Mr Hancock with a bottle before leaving.

Mr Hancock had taken exception to that and followed him out and along the street joined by Greaves who was already outside.

When they caught up with Mr White there was a scuffle which ended with Greaves throwing Mr White to the ground and the two men standing over him.

Mr Davies had watched that incident from the doorway of the pub and it was then he walked “briskly” up to them to ask what he was doing and was immediately punched by Greaves.

Ian Brooks, representing Greaves said he was out socialising and “struggles to explain why he accompanied” Mr Hancock and ran after Mr White.

He said although he had been drinking he was not drunk and deeply regretted his impulsive behaviour that followed which was so out of character.

“He fully realises the devastating consequences of what he did.”

He said Greaves had trained as a painter and decorator and then as a plumber. He had also started training to be a counsellor to young people which he would no longer be able to do.

In a letter to the judge Greaves said the manslaughter “lies heavily on my heart and haunts me every night”.

After the case Detective Inspector Paul Hobson said: “Richard Davies’ death was the result of a completely unnecessary outburst of violence by Greaves and clearly illustrates the terrible consequences that throwing just one punch can have.

“His family are understandably devastated at their loss and our thoughts remain with them at this time. We hope they can take some small degree of comfort from knowing the man responsible has now been sent to prison.

“We hope this case will serve as a stark reminder to people of the tragic consequences that just a moment of violence can have.”