Men jailed after killing stranger with single punch while on night out in Preston

Granada Reports correspondent Ann O'Connor was in court when the pair were jailed

Two men have been jailed after killing a stranger with a single punch - before shouting "who's next?" as they continued down the street.

Jack Jermy-Doyle, 25, was enjoying a night out with friends in Preston when he was attacked, knocking him to the floor and leaving him unconscious.

After the brutal attack Jake Parkinson, 22, and Jak Fairclough, 29, left their victim on the ground, walking off before CCTV captured them shouting "who wants it?" and "who's next?".

The pair had been "making a nuisance of themselves and fighting", the court heard, and had been involved in a number of aggressive and homophobic incidents before they encountered Jack in Harris Street.

The trainee barrister suffered unsurvivable brain injuries, and was kept alive on life support to allow his mum to return from Malawi - where she was volunteering with the Scouts building orphanages - to say goodbye.

Jack, from Chorley, died on 14 August 2023, two weeks short of his 26th birthday.

Parkinson, 22, of Bow Lane, Preston, who was found guilty of manslaughter after a trial, was handed eight years in jail, while Fairclough, 29, of Blackpool Road, Preston, who had previously admitted manslaughter was jailed for six years and four months.

Sentencing Preston Crown Court heard how Judge Graham Knowles KC told Fairclough, "You said in your police statement that the situation didn’t even need to have happened, it was done in twenty seconds, it was pointless.. in that you were right.”

Parkinson delivered a blow to Jack's stomach and almost immediately after that, Fairclough punched him in the face. This blow knocked Jack to the ground where he banged his head and was knocked unconscious.

In a victim impact statement, Jack's mum, Susan Howath, said following his death the family had lost "the ability to find joy in anything".

The family donated Jack's organs to help others after his mum said she knew this is something he would approve of.

His death was a second devastating tragedy for the family, who lost Jack’s brother to suicide three years before.

Ms Howath said: “The actions and consequences of that devastating Friday morning have totally destroyed me and my family.

"We have lost the ability to find joy in anything, significant dates are torture and often I can't even face the day, so curl up in my bed sobbing.

"Jack was our glue, our light, and our future.

"Jack had immense potential that I will never be able to see. He was my saviour and he made me proud, every single day.

“My boys should be here, growing into the loving fathers I knew they would be, but Iwill never hear or see those grandchildren.

"The house is now so quiet, missing the laughter, the music and debates that I had with Jack.

"Those evenings when he would cook tea, knowing I would be exhausted. I drown in grief every day, the emptiness and pain that is left inside my heart, and that of my family, will never go away."

Detective Inspector Bryony Midgley, of Lancashire Police's Force Major Investigation Team, said: “My thoughts today are with all of Jack’s family and loved ones.

"He was a kind and generous man who was obviously very dearly loved and whose life was needlessly snatched away as a result of the senseless and violent actions of Parkinson and Fairclough.

“Once again, this case shows the absolutely devastating consequences which can result from a single punch.

“Jack’s death was entirely preventable and has ruined the lives of so many people, most of all his family, who have had their loved one taken away from them in the prime of his life.”

She added: “Finally I would just say that if you find yourself on a night out and in a heated situation, remember the consequences of violence, and ask yourself is it worth it?

"Think about Jack and ask yourself is this worth potentially taking someone’s loved one away from them, and taking yourself away from your own family to serve a prison sentence? Is it worth having a criminal record? It never is so just walk away."

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