Danny Humble murder: Teenager jailed for 12 years after stamping on Cramlington dad's head

A former soldier has been jailed for 12 years following the murder of Cramlington dad Danny Humble.

Four other teenagers were also jailed for manslaughter following the death of the 35-year-old, who was attacked when he was walking home from a night out with his partner in May 2021.

Alistair Dickson, 18, of Hawkins Way, Blyth, Northumberland, was convicted of murder after jurors heard he stamped on Mr Humble's head.

Four others - Ethan Scott, 18, Bailey Wilson, 19, and Owen Soones, 18, all from Blyth, and window cleaner Kyros Robinson, 18, from Seaton Delaval - who were previously found guilty of manslaughter were jailed for six years and six months in a young offenders' institution.

A trial at Newcastle Crown Court heard Mr Humble was set upon by the group - who were aged between 16 and 17 at the time - after coming across them at an underpass.

Jurors heard the youths joked Mr Humble looked like one of the television stars Ant and Dec, before embarking on an attack which lasted for about 15 seconds.

During the violent outburst, the father-of-two was repeatedly kicked, punched and stamped on, and left with a "catastrophic" head injury from which he could not recover.

His mother Deborah Humble previously said his death had destroyed the family and her life had "turned black" on 29 May 2021.

Judge Joel Bennathan, KC, said: "No sentence I can pass can heal the devastation you have caused."

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.”

Soomes, being over-familiar, 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”.

His son loved being a father of a boy, eight, and girl, six, who must now grow up without him.

“The catastrophic impact caused by the loss of their daddy will stay with them and have a real bearing for evermore,” he said.

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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