Danny Humble: Family speak in court about devastation following death of 'adored' Cramlington man

A court has heard of the "catastrophic" impact the death of father-of-two Danny Humble has had on his family.

Five teenagers, who beat the 35-year-old father to death after he looked like Ant or Dec, have been locked up for a total of 38 years.

Mr Humble had enjoyed his first night out with his partner after lockdown ended and was walking home when he was punched to the ground, kicked and stamped on.

The father-of-two suffered horrific head injuries in the attack on May 28 last year in Cramlington, Northumberland.

Ex-soldier Alistair Dickson, 18, of Hawkins Way, Blyth, Northumberland, was convicted of murder after jurors at Newcastle Crown Court were told he stamped on Mr Humble’s head.

Mr Justice Bennathan sentenced him to detention at His Majesty’s pleasure – the equivalent of a life sentence for someone his age – and must serve a minimum of 12 years.

Four others were jailed for six years and six months after the jury cleared them of murder but convicted them of manslaughter.

They are Ethan Scott, 18, Bailey Wilson, 19, and Owen Soones, 18, all from Blyth, and window cleaner Kyros Robinson, 18, from Seaton Delaval.

The judge said: “Friday May 28 should have been a happy night out as you and many others marked the end of lockdown by meeting with friends, socialising and going out for a drink.

“Yet what should have been a peaceful night out turned to tragedy when you five killed Danny Humble.”

Soones, had said Mr Humble looked like Anthony McPartlin or Declan Donnelly, who present on television together, the court was told, but there was no immediate trouble.

Something then caused the victim to hit Soones on the head, but the gang’s subsequent 15 to 20-second attack could never be justified, the judge said.

In a victim impact statement, Mr Humble’s partner Adele Stubbs, a critical care nurse, said she is no longer able to do the job she loved because of the trauma she experienced seeing the attack.

Mr Humble’s father Vaughan told the court his son was “caring, loving and compassionate and this was reciprocated by almost everybody he came into contact with”.

He said his son loved being a father of his son, eight, and daughter, six, who must now grow up without him.

He added: "We are a family incomplete, we are in the dark.

"One of the mainstays of our family and a guiding light has been cruelly snatched from us in dreadful circumstances from which we will never ever recover.

"There is a void in our lives and an emptiness that continually aches and tortures us. A once proud, fun loving and gregarious family has become withdrawn, reluctant to laugh and enjoy life, apprehensive of the pity that we continually see from others.

"Danny was loved by so many. Not only by the inner circle of his immediate close family but also by wider relatives, a multitude of friends and by work colleagues.

"He was caring, loving and compassionate and this was reciprocated by all.

"Above all, he was loved and adored by his heartbroken children. Danny thrived in their presence and showed his true colours as a very proud, caring and doting parent.

"The catastrophic impact of the loss of their Daddy will stay with them and have a real bearing forevermore.

"In Danny's absence, we will pick up the mantle and continue to guide them and teach them the values that Danny thought were so important in life."

He added: "We will never again hear his laughter, witness his love of life or that dazzling six-million-dollar smile.

"He was a beautiful, happy and contented person, loved and respected by all.

"What we will see, in our moments of quiet solitude and in the minutes before we sleep at night and when we wake in the morning, are the dreadful images and scenes of Danny being attacked and when defenceless, being punched, kicked and stamped to death.

"We will recall the vivid testimonies of the witnesses and their accounts of the noises that they heard on that fateful night."

Nigel Edwards, defending Dickson, said there was no intention to kill and that he was a young man who still has hopes and aspirations.

Peter Makepeace, for Soones, said the teenager had “genuine insight” into the loss caused to the Humble family.

Sharon Beattie, for Scott, said he must live with the consequences of his actions and was working hard in prison.

Penny Hall, for Robinson, said her client lacked maturity and was 17 at the time of the offence.

Jonathan Pigford, for Wilson, said his client was “extremely distressed” when he talked about this “terrible, tragic event”.

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