18 June 2024 , 20:23
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Andrew Nicholas, who was visiting the Welsh town of Monmouth on a golfing trip, had a fatal encounter outside a pub with Morgan Wainewright, who killed him with a single punch
Whilst intoxicated on a cocktail of booze, ketamine and cocaine, Morgan Wainewright threw a single punch that tragically ended the life of a "loving son, brother, and uncle".
The then-19-year-old was kicked out of the King’s Head Wetherspoon pub in Monmouth, Wales, on June 26, 2022, after he got into a row with a group of men. CCTV showed him "forehead to forehead" with one man before he was asked to leave.
As revellers spilled onto the street, the teenager just so happened to come across Andrew Nicholas, who was on a golfing trip to Monmouth with pals and had gone to get a kebab. As shown in the ITV documentary One Punch Killers, following an altercation, Wainewright struck Nicholas, who fell and hit his head on the road.
During the trial, the court heard that Wainewright, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, was "very wound-up" and "looking for trouble", according to the pub doorman. Newport Crown Court also heard how the pair had crossed paths, with footage showing the two of them "up close and talking".
The judge said: "It’s very apparent that Mr Nicholas is very unsteady through drink. You say you accidentally bumped into him. You involved yourself in a hostile confrontation. At many points in the evening this terrible outcome could have been avoided. CCTV shows that Mr Nicholas threw a blow at you... He stepped back and there was a pause.
"You then moved forward and punched Mr Nicholas and attempted to land a second blow. He was floored by the first punch and the back of his head struck the pavement."
More than a dozen people gathered around the two men at the scene, with one witness saying Wainewright hit Mr Nicholas "hard in the face" before backing off. Commenting on his reaction, they added: "He didn’t offer any first aid. He looked angry. He looked red in the face."
The 43-year-old was put in the recovery position but never regained consciousness. He was rushed to the University Hospital of Wales and died a few days later.
Meanwhile, Wainewright walked to a skate park, where a witness spoke to him and said he was "stressed and concerned". He returned to the scene an hour later and was arrested.
The court heard that Wainewright had become frustrated earlier in the night after having to make up a shortfall in his group’s restaurant bill. He had been drinking from 4pm and initially claimed he had been acting in self-defence, but later admitted the unlawful killing.
Newport Crown Court ( Image: Media Wales)
The court heard a victim impact statement from Mr Nicholas’ mother, who said: "He was just going for something to eat and he will never be home. I am heartbroken and in total disbelief. How can this be real? He lived with me after I lost my husband three years ago. He did so much to help me and I don’t know how I can cope and go forward without him.
"He was the most loving and caring son a mother could have. He was loved and respected by so many. A multitude described him as a perfect gentleman. The rest of my life is a life sentence of pain that will never go away. His brother is broken, devastated at losing his much-loved brother."
Mr Nicholas’ family also described him as the "best uncle in the world" to his three young nieces, who have been "affected in a way that is irreparable, unacceptable and a pain they will carry for the rest of their lives." Sarah Frances Jones KC, representing Wainewright, said the death was "wholly unnecessary and tragic".
She did not accept he was "determined to fight" outside the pub. She said he "took responsibility for others not moving on" during the dispute and had gestured for Mr Nicholas to leave.
"The defendant then pursues briefly but catastrophically," she told the court. Ms Frances described her client as "ashamed" of his behaviour.
Judge Williams noted that Wainewright had no previous violent offences on his record but did have a 2021 conviction for drug-driving. He said that he had read references of Wainewright’s "positive qualities" and that the attack was "mitigated by age", but added: "When you threw the punch you either intended some harm or were at least reckless as to whether harm would be caused."
The judge imposed four years of detention in a young offender institution. Two years of the term were to be served in custody and the rest on licence.