Man jailed over fatal fist fight

A man whose friend died after the pair had a fist fight outside a pub has been jailed for 15 months.

John Broadway, 27, of Curry Rivel, Somerset, admitted the manslaughter of fellow Gypsy Billy Roberts, 42, at Exeter Crown Court.

Mr Roberts had challenged Broadway to a fight after the pair argued inside The Bell pub, in Ilminster, last December.

Neil Ford QC, defending, said: "When one Gypsy is asked outside by another he does not back down."

He added: "When you're asked to fight you are expected to."

The consequences were clearly unintended - it was not the punch from which he died - he died when his head hit the ground Judge Graham Cottle

The court heard Mr Roberts, who was known as a "top dog fighter" and had taken part in bare knuckle bouts in the past, was determined to continue fighting even though he was being beaten.

Prosecuting, Ian Pringle QC, said that when Mr Roberts went down for the second time the defendant told him: "Behave now, just leave it." But Mr Roberts got up and threw more blows.

When he fell for the third time there was a "sickening crack" as his head hit the ground.

Broadway fled to York but later surrendered to the police.

Judge Graham Cottle said he was satisfied Broadway had shown genuine remorse, telling him: "The consequences were clearly unintended."

He said Broadway had been challenged to a fight and that to refuse was "quite unacceptable", culturally, although that did not make it any less unlawful.

"It was not the punch from which he died. He died when his head hit the ground," said the judge.