A judge remarked that a jockey had the option to walk away instead of resorting to violence as he sentenced him for causing the death of a pensioner he struck at least twice outside a pub.
Levi Williams, aged 27, received a three-year prison sentence for the manslaughter of Richard Wingrove, aged 71, who passed away in hospital ten days after being punched by Williams in Newmarket, Suffolk.
During the court proceedings at Peterborough Crown Court, Prosecutor Jane Oldfield detailed that Mr. Wingrove, who used a walking stick, and his son Jamie Wingrove had been drinking at pubs on the town’s high street on March 8, 2025.
Oldfield explained that both Wingrove individuals were expelled from the Waggon and Horses establishment due to disorderly and abusive conduct towards the staff. Williams and his friend Matthew Wilson were present at the pub during the altercations involving the Wingroves.
Following a physical altercation between Jamie Wingrove and the pub owner at the Waggon and Horses entrance at 3:30 pm, CCTV footage displayed in court depicted the jockeys attempting to prevent the man from entering.
Upon exiting the pub later, a verbal confrontation ensued between Williams and the Wingroves. Williams was seen throwing punches at both Jamie and Richard Wingrove. The older man fell to the ground but stood back up and reengaged in the conflict.
The altercation escalated, leading to Williams striking Richard Wingrove in the head, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement. Mr. Wingrove succumbed to his injuries in a Cambridge hospital on March 18, after being placed in an induced coma due to a skull fracture and brain bleeding.
When apprehended, Williams, now residing in Trefonen, Oswestry, Shropshire, was described as inebriated and under the influence of cocaine, stating that the incident was accidental. Williams mentioned in an interview that he had consumed two to three beers and encountered two unidentified men arguing with the pub staff.
Judge Sean Enright informed Williams that he was not the initial aggressor and that the first blows could be deemed as self-defense, but the final punch was not justifiable. The judge expressed that Williams and his friend could have simply walked away.
Sentencing Williams to three years in prison, Judge Enright emphasized that the severity of the offense warranted custody due to Williams being intoxicated, using cocaine, and assaulting a vulnerable individual.
The courtroom witnessed emotional reactions as Williams was escorted to the cells. Louisa Reah, Mr. Wingrove’s daughter, shared in her victim impact statement that her father had poor eyesight and relied on a walking stick.
She revealed that at the time of the tragedy, her younger daughter was expecting a child, which would have been her father’s first great grandchild. William England, representing Williams, stated that his client had no history of violence.
Detective Constable Hannah Barrett, addressing the media outside the court, described the incident as a tragic and unnecessary act of violence that resulted in the loss of Richard Wingrove’s life as he celebrated his birthday, causing immense grief to many individuals.