Man jailed for killing pensioner, 65, with one punch after karaoke night row
A man has been jailed for four years for killing a pensioner with one punch after a pub row.
Brian McMahon, 57, killed Melvin Murphy, 65, with a single blow when he followed him home on 21 September last year.
McMahon had clashed with the victim during a karaoke night at the Robin Hood pub in Jersey.
CCTV later caught McMahon hitting him and then walking away as he lay dying on the ground.
The defendant admitted manslaughter and was jailed.
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Bailiff Tim Le Cocq said the “tragic situation” could not be described as accidental and was “a direct result of violence”.
Addressing McMahon he said: "You did not have to follow him home, you did not have to call him, you did not have to hit him. You left the scene. You simply walked away."
Prosecuting, Matthew Maletroit, said although the two men were not good friends, they had known each other and were regular drinkers in the Robin Hood pub.
He added Mr Murphy was already inside when the defendant came in at about 10.30pm.
Witnesses said both men “were in good spirits, but neither appeared drunk”.
Later the landlord heard McMahon say to Mr Murphy in a raised voice: “This is the second time you have said that to me”.
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The two men continued arguing in the pub’s courtyard, the Royal Court in Jersey was told.
The landlord told McMahon “to pack it in”.
Mr Murphy then left and headed home to his flat.
McMahon later caught up with Mr Murphy outside Springfield Stadium.
He told his victim “you have got to pack this up” and punched him in the face with his left hand.
Murphy fell to the ground, banging his head.
Another drinker who had just left the pub bumped into McMahon and asked about Mr Murphy, the court heard.
He was told he was ‘on the floor’.
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The pub-goer found him unresponsive but still breathing and put him into the recovery position and called 999.
Mr Murphy was taken to hospital but never regained consciousness.
According to a post-mortem, he had suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain.
In sentencing, the court said they had also taken into consideration impact statements read to the court from Mr Murphy’s partner of 17 years and his son, saying how they had been “left devastated by his death”.
His partner added: "The ironic thing about this is if he [Melvin] had survived this he would have forgiven him [McMahon], that is the sort of person he was."
