A RUNCORN man whose punch led to the death of a restaurant worker has been jailed for six years this afternoon.

A jury unanimously convicted dad-of-three Peter Taylor of manslaughter after the incident in Ellesmere Port following a three day trial at Liverpool Crown Court.

Taylor, of Westfield Crescent, showed no emotion when he was convicted of unlawfully killing Lukasz Piotr Sawinski and sentenced but relatives in the public gallery wept.

A moving impact statement from the victim’s sister, Monika Sawiska Potoniec was read to the hushed court.

She told how the family have been devastated by his death on his 31st birthday but comforted by the fact that donation of his organs meant three lives have been saved.

Jailing Taylor, the Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Clement Goldstone, QC, said that he had ‘shown a degree of humanity but sadly no remorse’.

Taylor had admitted punching Mr Sawinski, who fell back hitting his head on the pavement or road, but claimed he had been acting in self-defence when Mr Sawinski approached him.

Judge Goldstone said that the victim and his Polish friend, who were both very drunk, encountered Taylor and his two friends, who were drunk to a lesser degree, in Woodfield Road, Ellesmere Port in the early hours of April 27.

They exchanged ‘harmless banter’ but the atmosphere soured when Taylor was not given the address he wanted of a house party in the street.

The two men walked off but the victim’s friend, Rafal Otenburger, turned back as they did not want the trio to know where they lived in the same street.

He was greeted with abuse and punched by one of them.

The judge said: “While he was on the ground, and not before, Lukasz Sawinski tried to come to his rescue. You were having none of it. You struck him once to a hard punch and you laid him out cold.

“You left him neither knowing or caring whether he was alright and you went your way with your friends.”

Mr Otenburger roused his friend and took him to their home and it was only on April 30 when concerned for him he called an ambulance. He was admitted to hospital and died ten days later.

“He had at your hand suffered a ten centimetre fracture to the right hand side of his skull with internal bruising and bleeding in the brain,” said the judge.

“He died as a result of your alcohol fuelled violence. He was a relative stranger to our country and language. He was a lonely man who sought solace in alcohol while others around him had been able to settle.

 

“He had come here in in search of finding a better life. No sentence this court can pass can bring him back or explain to his parents, grandmother, sister and niece why you behaved as you did.”

 

The victim’s sister said in her statement read to the court that he had been due to fly home for his god daughter’s first communion two days after the attack.

Their father Marek flew to be at his bedside and it was only later he told how he had made the lonely decision to donate his son’s organs after his life support was turned off.

 

The family visit his grave in Poland every day but her eight-year-old daughter refuses to go and accept he is dead. “He was a very happy person who did not like conflict and always had a positive outlook on life.”

 

Taylor, who has previous convictions including battery, threatening behaviour and attempted robbery, was cleared by the jury of common assault on the victim’s friend.

 

Andrew Green, defending, said Taylor wanted to pass his condolences to the deceased’s family.

He had been a hard working man, employed by a lift equipment assembly and repair firm and there was no doubt that his imprisonment would have a massive impact on him and his family.

The jury heard that a woman neighbour told police that she saw the victim being struck ‘right off his feet’ and heard his head thud as it hit the ground.

She said: “It was an evil punch and I was shocked.

“The Polish lad was just standing there, he just walked up and just dropped him, he did not have a chance.”

Taylor, who has previous convictions including battery, threatening behaviour and attempted robbery, was cleared by the jury of common assault on the victim’s friend.

DI Steve Jones said: “When bravado strikes you have no idea of the consequences, even if you just throw one punch.

“Lukasz thought he was okay after being assaulted and thought he didn’t require hospital treatment. Sadly the blow to his head was much more serious than he anticipated and he died from his injuries days later with his father by his bedside.

“This is a very sad case which could have been prevented had Taylor not struck out on that night.