Latest news with #singlepunch
BBC News
a day ago
- BBC News
Police warn of danger of one-punch attacks in Suffolk and Norfolk
A senior police officer has warned people of the danger of getting into fist fights after two men recently died from single-punch attacks. Daniel Martin from Felixstowe, Suffolk was convicted of manslaughter and has yet to receive his sentence after he fatally punched Charlie Greaves, 25, from Ipswich, in August 2024. Tyrone Busch, from Dereham, Norfolk, was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to eight years in prison for killing Michael O'Dwyer, 31, with a single punch in July Supt Phill Gray, from Suffolk Police, said: "Two men lost their lives needlessly as a result of these incidents. Two other men have ruined their own lives and are now convicted killers." The body of Mr Greaves was discovered at Suffolk Sands Holiday Park, Felixstowe, on 11 August court heard that Martin had told Mr Greaves to put his dog on a lead at a pub, which lead to an argument before Martin punched the victim, causing him to fall back, hit his head and lose consciousness for a Greaves had returned home and gone to bed, his grandfather found him unresponsive the next morning. Martin had denied manslaughter but was found guilty by a jury. Det Supt Gray said: "This was a situation [Martin] could have simply walked away from. "The victim may have been argumentative towards him, but at no time did he attempt to hit or threaten Martin."Daniel Martin was significantly bigger than the victim and any force delivered to a much smaller person is likely to have a disproportionate impact – akin to a heavyweight boxer punching a featherweight." 'Attack out of nowhere' Mr O'Dwyer was found unconscious at his home the morning after being struck in the jaw outside the Red Lion pub in Dereham, Norfolk, on 20 Alice Robinson described the incident at Norwich Crown Court as "serious unprovoked violence".Det Supt Gray said that Busch "seemed to have used irritation and annoyance at the victim coming over and speaking to him in a beer garden as an excuse to punch him – it was an attack that seemingly came out of nowhere".He added: "In each case alcohol had been consumed by both parties involved and would also appear to have been a factor."Both Suffolk and Norfolk Police forces said there had been a number of recent incidents where people had been punched once "which could have quite easily have resulted in further loss of life"."I urge everyone to reflect on these cases and how lives can be ruined in a matter of seconds. One punch can kill," Det Supt Gray said. Follow Suffolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
'I was lucky to survive a one-punch attack in Aberdeen'
An attack victim has said he is lucky to be alive after being knocked out by a single punch from a stranger who has now been pilot Ross McConnell, 35, was assaulted following a Busted concert at Aberdeen's P&J Live in 2023, leaving him unable to work for several months and with permanent has now spoken out to warn of the dangers of a single punch, saying the "split-second action" can have "absolutely devastating consequences".Ben Corfield, 40, admitted the assault, and was jailed for a year at Aberdeen Sheriff Court. Mr McConnell and his wife Lisa were both assaulted in the incident on 19 September from Doncaster in South Yorkshire, admitted punching the pilot to his severe injury and permanent also admitted assaulting another man on the same Maclagan, 36, from Dundee, admitted assaulting Lisa McConnell and was sentenced to carry out 187 hours of unpaid work. Mr McConnell said events on the night unfolded very quickly."Out of nowhere this guy comes up to me," he said."He just punched me to the left-hand side of my jaw. It caused me to fall backwards. The next thing I remember was waking up in the recovery position on the floor."I don't recall saying anything to him, it all happened in the space of seconds. I just thought, what did I do to deserve this? If someone else had been in my position it looks like they would have got the same treatment." How bad were the injuries? Mr McConnell was taken to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary where he received stitches to his serious head wound. He said: "My daughter nearly lost her father, my wife nearly lost her husband, my mother nearly lost her son - all because one guy had a bad night and decided to punch me."Just about 30cm from where my head struck was uneven granite cobble. If my head had hit that, I shudder to think. The situation could have been a lot worse. I might not even be here today at worse case."He was unable to properly return to his job as an airline pilot for nearly four months."That really gets you down," he said. "You know I thought 'why me?' A single punch has caused all of this impact for me, the physical impact as well as the financial loss and the mental impact too."I sat for days wondering, had I done anything? Was this my fault?" Maxine Thompson-Curl set up the charity One Punch UK after her 18-year-old son Kristian's death in was punched by a man in a nightclub."He had a fractured skull and a catastrophic brain injury," she said. "My life from that moment has never been the same."He was in a coma for five days. And then for many months he was trying to get over having a brain injury. But he died nine months later. It was absolutely horrific."She added: "We know these one-punch assaults happen, but the difficult thing statistically is that it isn't recorded by the police as a one-punch attack it is recorded as an assault."I have contact with people from across the country - Scotland, England, Wales and Ireland - and I would say at least twice a week I am hearing from people who are going through this, they get in touch looking for help."We know that one punch can ruin two lives. What I would say is - stop, think and walk away. Don't use those fists as weapons. They weren't given to punch, they were given to us to care, to hold each other, not to kill." Why has Ross told his story? Assistant Chief Constable Mark Sutherland of Police Scotland said violence of any kind was entirely unacceptable."A split-second, ill-informed decision can end someone's life, and leave the perpetrator facing a long jail sentence," he McConnell hopes sharing his story might also make others think twice before lashing out."I am one of the lucky ones who survived a one-punch attack," he said."There are many other accounts out there where people have lost their lives, become disabled from it."If you are really having a bad day, taking a swing at somebody Is not going to make it any better."
