Man delivered ‘sickening punch’ that killed dad at Wetherspoons after ‘who’re you’ taunt
Kyle O’Callaghan has been jailed for more than 10 years after he pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Marcus Carpenter, a ‘beloved dad’ who died in hospital after being punched outside a Wetherspoons
Newport Crown Court was told O’Callaghan confronted Mr Carpenter and his mates(Image: Media Wales)
A man has been imprisoned for more than 10 years after punching and killing another man outside a Wetherspoon pub because he felt “disrespected”.
Kyle O’Callaghan, 30, had previously admitted to the manslaughter of Marcus Carpenter, 37, who passed away in hospital following an assault outside the Picture House in Ebbw Vale. On Friday, Newport Crown Court was told O’Callaghan confronted Mr Carpenter and his mates at around midnight on the evening in February this year, demanding “who are you then?” and insisting he accompany him outside.
It was in an alleyway outside the JD Wetherspoon pub that O’Callaghan struck Mr Carpenter twice “unprovoked” before escaping the scene. Mr Carpenter collapsed and subsequently died in hospital, having sustained serious head injuries from the attack.
The court was told both Mr Carpenter and O’Callaghan had visited the Picture House on the evening of February 20 with different groups of mates.
Judge Daniel Williams said: “You headed to the table where Marcus Carpenter and his friends were, you recognised one of his friends from him working in a pub in Tredegar.
“You then approached Marcus Carpenter and asked who he was … You had heard that Marcus Carpenter had been saying things about you to other people. You are very quick to think that you’ve been wronged by others, whatever the truth of the situation.”
Newport Crown Court heard there “didn’t appear to be any bad feeling” between the two men and Mr Carpenter followed O’Callaghan outside. Once outside, O’Callaghan, who “felt disrespected” by Mr Carpenter, punched him in the face.
Judge Williams stated: “It was needless, you continued to behave in an overbearing, aggressive and intimidating way towards Mr Carpenter, who at no stage was hostile, let alone aggressive, towards you. But you were determined to harm Mr Carpenter, whatever he did, and however uninterested he was in engaging with you.”
CCTV footage shown in court depicted the two men continuing to converse for several minutes, before O’Callaghan landed a second punch. Mr Carpenter had his arms at his side when O’Callaghan threw the “fatal, sickening blow” to his head.
The court was told that, after Mr Carpenter collapsed, O’Callaghan tried to drag his body and slapped him, before running away from the scene. O’Callaghan later claimed to police he had been acting in “self-defence”, alleging Mr Carpenter had been aggressive towards him.
Judge Williams remarked: “Your selfishness seems limitless. You claimed at first to be acting in self defence – it was, of course, nothing of the sort. Your actions have caused unimaginable grief, loss and sadness.”
On Friday, Judge Williams sentenced O’Callaghan, of no fixed abode, to 10-and-a-half years in prison with an extended licence period of four years.
In a tribute released following his death, Mr Carpenter’s family described him as a “beloved son, partner and dad”.
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