Latest news with #David'Dai'Richards
Metro
17-05-2025
- Metro
British dad killed with vodka bottle in 'blind attack' on stag do in Prague
A British dad-of-four was killed on a stag do in Prague after being hit over the head with a glass bottle in a 'blind attack'. Welshman David 'Dai' Richards was killed in September after an argument broke out between his friends and a group of German tourists. His family described him as 'the glue of the family', and an 'absolutely amazing father, partner, son, brother, and friend'. His sister-in-law Tammy Sheehan, cousin Gemma Thomas, and partner Jola said: 'It wasn't a fight like what I think some people are thinking – it was a blind attack. 'From the attack he actually passed away from blunt force trauma. David was talking to locals in the street when he took a blow to the back of the head.' German national Joel Hoppe, 27, pleaded guilty to fatal GBH has been sentenced to seven years in prison and was ordered to pay £158,758 to David's family. He said he acted in a fit of rage while under the influence of alcohol and drugs. He told the court: 'Not a day goes by that I don't think about the late David and his children. I will accept whatever sentence you give me.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: British tourist in critical condition after being 'stabbed and hurled from car' in Thailand MORE: Clues in 'drugs mule' Bella May Culley's social media posts showed trip was turning dark MORE: Drug driver who killed newborn baby after speeding through red light jailed
Scottish Sun
17-05-2025
- Scottish Sun
Tourist, 27, jailed after killing Brit dad, 31, with vodka bottle on Prague stag do in horror ‘blind attack'
KILLER BEHIND BARS Tourist, 27, jailed after killing Brit dad, 31, with vodka bottle on Prague stag do in horror 'blind attack' Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A GERMAN man has been jailed for seven years after killing a Welsh dad on a stag do in the Czech Republic. Joel Hoppe, 27, was sentenced this week at a Prague court for the murder of David 'Dai' Richards in September last year. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 2 David, a father of three, tragically died in September 2024 Credit: WALES NEWS SERVICE 2 David 'Dai' Richards with his partner Jola Simms Credit: WALES NEWS SERVICE David was a 31-year-old father-of-three from Mountain Ash in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Czech Police spokesman Jan Daněk said: "At first, everything was calm and the tourists were chatting normally. "Then there was a rift between them and one of them hit the other in the head with a vodka bottle. "The blow was so strong that the injured person immediately fell to the ground and unfortunately died in hospital."
Daily Record
17-05-2025
- Daily Record
Tourist jailed after killing dad-of-three with vodka bottle on Prague stag do
A German man has been jailed for seven years following the death of David 'Dai' Richards in Prague in September last year. A man who killed a dad-of-three in a "blind attack" with a vodka bottle has been jailed for seven years. David 'Dai' Richards was in the centre of Prague for a stag do on September 21 last year when he and his friends came into contact with another group of tourists. Joel Hoppe, a 27-year-old German, hit the 31-year-old dad with a blow so strong he fell to the floor and died in hospital from his injury. David, from Mountain Ash in Rhondda Cynon Taf, was dad to Aurora, aged four, Bear, two, and one-year-old Vienna. His family described him as an "absolutely amazing father, partner, son, brother, and friend" who was the "glue of the family". Hoppe was s entenced to seven years behind bars and was ordered to pay 4.7 million crowns (£158,758) to Mr Richards' family and banned him from the Czech Republic for 10 years. The German reportedly told the court: 'Not a day goes by that I don't think about the late David and his children. I will accept whatever sentence you give me.' He also mentioned Mr Richards' relatives, who attended the hearing, saying: "It breaks my heart to see these people here today. Czech news outlet Odkryto had reported that Hoppe pleaded guilty to the fatal GBH and disorderly conduct, admitting he acted in a fit of rage and under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Judge Daniella Sarah Sotolářová imposed a sentence of seven years, saying: "We also believed that you did not want to cause the death of the victim." Czech Police spokesman Jan Daněk said of the attack: "At first, everything was calm and the tourists were chatting normally. Then there was a rift between them and one of them hit the other on the head with a vodka bottle. The blow was so strong that the injured person immediately fell to the ground and unfortunately died in hospital." A post-mortem examination by a doctor in Prague gave a provisional cause of death as brain trauma, swelling, and haemorrhaging, the Mirror reports. Pontypridd coroner Patricia Morgan opened an inquest in the UK last October and adjourned it for a "full investigation" to take place. In a statement last September, his sister-in-law Tammy Sheehan, cousin Gemma Thomas, and partner Jola Simms said: "It wasn't a fight like what I think some people are thinking – it was a blind attack. "From the attack he actually passed away from blunt force trauma. David was talking to locals in the street when he took a blow to the back of the head." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Dad-of-four killed on Prague stag do in 'blind attack' with a vodka bottle
Welsh dad David 'Dai' Richards died while he attended a stag do in Prague last year - a German man was sentenced for grievous bodily harm (GBH) in a Czech court this week A family is mourning the death of a dad-of-three after he was killed on a stag do. A man has now been sentenced following his conviction for grievous bodily harm (GBH) following the dead of Welshman David 'Dai' Richards in Prague in September last year. "At first, everything was calm and the tourists were chatting normally,' said Czech Police spokesman Jan Daněk of the incident that occurred when Mr Richards and his friends came into contact with another group of tourists. Then there was a rift between them and one of them hit the other in the head with a vodka bottle. The blow was so strong that the injured person immediately fell to the ground and unfortunately died in hospital." A post-mortem examination by a doctor in Prague gave a provisional cause of death as brain trauma, swelling, and haemorrhaging. Pontypridd coroner Patricia Morgan opened an inquest last October and adjourned it for a "full investigation" to take place, WalesOnline reported. Mr Richards was partner to Jola Simms and father to Aurora, aged four, Bear, two, and one-year-old Vienna. His family described him as an "absolutely amazing father, partner, son, brother, and friend" who was the "glue of the family". In a statement last September, his sister-in-law Tammy Sheehan, cousin Gemma Thomas, and partner Miss Simms said: "It wasn't a fight like what I think some people are thinking – it was a blind attack. "From the attack he actually passed away from blunt force trauma. David was talking to locals in the street when he took a blow to the back of the head." Joel Hoppe, a 27-year-old German, was sentenced to seven years behind bars and was ordered to pay 4.7 million crowns (£158,758) to Mr Richards' family and banned him from the Czech Republic for 10 years. Hoppe pleaded guilty to the fatal GBH and disorderly conduct, admitting he acted in a fit of rage and under the influence of alcohol and drugs. The German reportedly told the court: 'Not a day goes by that I don't think about the late David and his children. I will accept whatever sentence you give me.' He also mentioned Mr Richards' relatives, who attended the hearing. "It breaks my heart to see these people here today,' he said. Judge Daniella Sarah Sotolářová imposed a sentence of seven years after taking into account Hoppe's remorse and his otherwise orderly life. "We also believed that you did not want to cause the death of the victim," she said.
Wales Online
17-05-2025
- Wales Online
Welsh dad killed with a vodka bottle on a stag do in Prague
Welsh dad killed with a vodka bottle on a stag do in Prague Joel Hoppe has been jailed for seven years for causing the death of David 'Dai' Richards, 'an absolutely amazing father, partner, son, brother, and friend' David 'Dai' Richards with his partner Jola Simms (Image: Gemma Thomas ) A man has been jailed for seven years after killing an "amazing" Welsh dad in the Czech Republic. Joel Hoppe, a 27-year-old German, was sentenced this week at a Prague court after being convicted of grievous bodily harm (GBH) resulting in the death of David 'Dai' Richards, a 31-year-old father-of-three from Mountain Ash in Rhondda Cynon Taf. Mr Richards was in the centre of Prague for a stag do on September 21 last year when he and his friends came into contact with another group of tourists. Czech Police spokesman Jan Daněk said: "At first, everything was calm and the tourists were chatting normally. "Then there was a rift between them and one of them hit the other in the head with a vodka bottle. The blow was so strong that the injured person immediately fell to the ground and unfortunately died in hospital." Czech news outlet Odkryto reports that Hoppe pleaded guilty to the fatal GBH and disorderly conduct, admitting he acted in a fit of rage and under the influence of alcohol and drugs. Don't miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here 'Not a day goes by that I don't think about the late David and his children,' he reportedly told the court. 'I will accept whatever sentence you give me.' Speaking about several of Richards' relatives who attended the sentencing, Hoppe said: "It breaks my heart to see these people here today." Article continues below The state prosecutor suggested a sentence of at least eight years in prison and expulsion from the Czech Republic for 10 years. Judge Daniella Sarah Sotolářová imposed a sentence of seven years after taking into account Hoppe's remorse and his otherwise orderly life. "We also believed that you did not want to cause the death of the victim," she said. She ordered Hoppe to pay 4.7 million crowns (£158,758) to Mr Richards' family and banned him from the Czech Republic for 10 years. Mr Richards was partner to Jola Simms and father to Aurora, aged four, Bear, two, and one-year-old Vienna. His family described him as an "absolutely amazing father, partner, son, brother, and friend" who was the "glue of the family". David 'Dai' Richards, 31, with partner Jola Simms and children (Image: Gemma Thomas ) In a statement last September, his sister-in-law Tammy Sheehan, cousin Gemma Thomas, and partner Miss Simms said: "It wasn't a fight like what I think some people are thinking – it was a blind attack. "From the attack he actually passed away from blunt force trauma. David was talking to locals in the street when he took a blow to the back of the head." A post-mortem examination by a doctor in Prague gave a provisional cause of death as brain trauma, swelling, and haemorrhaging. Pontypridd coroner Patricia Morgan opened an inquest last October and adjourned it for a "full investigation" to take place. Article continues below You can read more tributes to Mr Richards, including from his family and from AFC Abercynon, where he played football, here.
