Man killed colleague on night out

Fazel Yacoub suffered a fractured skull

A man who killed a colleague on a work night out by hitting him in the face has been jailed for two years.

Worcester Crown Court heard Lukasz Tombak, 26, dealt a single blow to Fazel Yacoub while intervening in a row in Kidderminster, Worcestershire.

Mr Yacoub, 41, of Stourbridge, West Midlands, hit his head on the floor and fractured his skull in October 2008.

Tombak, of Stourbridge Road, Kidderminster, admitted manslaughter at an earlier hearing in March.

'Death unintended'

The court heard Tombak and Mr Yacoub were among around 30 workers at a firm based in nearby Hartlebury who had been invited by managers to a pub.

It was when most of the workers left the pub that Mr Yacoub was involved in two arguments with colleagues in the street, jurors were told.

Prosecutor Tariq Shakoor said it was accepted that Tombak had struck Mr Yacoub once in the face with the palm of his hand.

The degree of violence used by you was very limited, was not premeditated and involved no weapon Judge Alistair McCreath

But Denis Desmond, defending, said although his client had an interest in boxing he had chosen to retaliate using only the palm of his hand after seeing Mr Yacoub kick out at a friend.

Passing sentence, Judge Alistair McCreath said he had to balance the outcome of the single blow against Tombak's intentions.

The judge said: "The degree of violence used by you was very limited, was not premeditated and involved no weapon.

"However, although this death was unintended, it was your act that caused it.

"I cannot and do not overlook the devastating effect that the loss of this life has had upon those close to the deceased."