Man is jailed for killing student

Sion Hardy suffered a brain haemorrhage after the attack

A man has been jailed for four years for killing a student, although a court heard he may not have touched him.

Thomas Canning, 22, from Crickhowell, Powys, admitted manslaughter at Liverpool Crown Court because he was present when Sion Hardy was attacked in the city in November 2007.

Mr Hardy, who was 24 and from Bangor, Gwynedd, died later in hospital.

Simon Taylor and Kevin O'Dea, both 22, were jailed for seven years in May 2008 after being convicted of manslaughter.

Canning pleaded guilty at the first opportunity and will only serve two years behind bars.

Sion Hardy was effectively an innocent bystander at the time of the attack Judge Henry Globe QC

The court heard trouble flared at a student city centre nightclub between O'Dea - a model and Manchester United corporate host - and Sion Hardy's school friend Stephen Lunne.

It was alleged that Mr Lunne pushed O'Dea's girlfriend.

When the club closed Mr Hardy, Mr Lunne and another friend walked to the underpass and were followed by the defendant and others, the court heard.

There was a fight and the men later emerged celebrating, said Tania Griffiths QC, prosecuting.

She said: "It was job done," adding that there was evidence Canning "took part in the assault on Sion Hardy".

Fight

Miss Griffiths added: "The prosecution say Canning was spoiling for a fight all night and had been spoiling for a fight in the club."

Patrick Harrington, QC, defending, said his client was remorseful and helped the police investigation.

He added: "He volunteered himself to police the day after and gave a graphic description of the person who delivered what may have been the fatal blow.

"The defendant was not at the vanguard of the attack on Sion Hardy.

"He was there and accepts that creates criminal responsibility for the charge of manslaughter.

"Out of the many identity parades not one witness picked Thomas Canning out for the incident involving Sion Hardy."

Tragedies

Mr Harrington added that Canning was from a "conspicuously good family who faced an enormous burden" for the last 15 months.

Referring to all the families of the victim and defendants, he said: "It makes the heart weep to know the tragedies this case has brought."

Sentencing, the Recorder of Liverpool, Judge Henry Globe QC, said male stubbornness and excess alcohol combined to produce explosive violence of the night of Mr Hardy's killing.

He said: "Sion Hardy was effectively an innocent bystander at the time of the attack which led to a wasteful loss of life of a student of promise.

"It caused heartache, distress and shock to his family.

"It has diminished the reputation of this city as being a safe place for students and increased the anxiety of parents of students."

A fourth man, Richard Faustino, is due to stand trial in June accused of manslaughter.