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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/30/merseyside-teenager-luke-woods-detention-for-fatally-punching-man-st-helens
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| Merseyside teenager gets four-year detention for fatally punching man | Merseyside teenager gets four-year detention for fatally punching man |
| (21 days later) | |
| A teenager who fatally punched a man because he did not give him a cigarette has been sentenced to four years and four months in detention. | A teenager who fatally punched a man because he did not give him a cigarette has been sentenced to four years and four months in detention. |
| Leonard Saunders, 65, died after he was punched on a street in St Helens, Merseyside, by 17-year-old Luke Woods on 21 July. | Leonard Saunders, 65, died after he was punched on a street in St Helens, Merseyside, by 17-year-old Luke Woods on 21 July. |
| Sentencing Woods at Liverpool crown court, the judge, Clement Goldstone, the honorary recorder of Liverpool, described Saunders as “a shining, yet very modest, star within the local St Helens community to which he devoted his life”. | Sentencing Woods at Liverpool crown court, the judge, Clement Goldstone, the honorary recorder of Liverpool, described Saunders as “a shining, yet very modest, star within the local St Helens community to which he devoted his life”. |
| Woods, who on Wednesday morning pleaded guilty to manslaughter, had been walking through St Helens just after 6.40pm on 21 July, when he approached Saunders, who was with his friend Gregory Taylor, and asked for a cigarette. | Woods, who on Wednesday morning pleaded guilty to manslaughter, had been walking through St Helens just after 6.40pm on 21 July, when he approached Saunders, who was with his friend Gregory Taylor, and asked for a cigarette. |
| When they told him they did not smoke, Woods, who is also from St Helens, punched Saunders, causing him to fall to the ground. His skull was fractured and he died in hospital nine days later. | When they told him they did not smoke, Woods, who is also from St Helens, punched Saunders, causing him to fall to the ground. His skull was fractured and he died in hospital nine days later. |
| Goldstone told Woods: “You snuffed out his life and brought untold sadness and grief to countless people. No sentence of this court can or will be seen as doing justice to the mindless violence which you perpetrated against Mr Saunders on the afternoon in question and no sentence of this court can bring him back.” | Goldstone told Woods: “You snuffed out his life and brought untold sadness and grief to countless people. No sentence of this court can or will be seen as doing justice to the mindless violence which you perpetrated against Mr Saunders on the afternoon in question and no sentence of this court can bring him back.” |
| The court heard Woods, who was drunk and had taken drugs, had told his friend he would punch someone if he did not get a cigarette. | The court heard Woods, who was drunk and had taken drugs, had told his friend he would punch someone if he did not get a cigarette. |
| Goldstone said: “You were not so drunk as to be unaware that you had knocked Mr Saunders out and you made good your escape from the scene.” | Goldstone said: “You were not so drunk as to be unaware that you had knocked Mr Saunders out and you made good your escape from the scene.” |
| When police went to his home to arrest him the following day, Woods tried to headbutt an officer and had to be restrained as he attempted to escape. | When police went to his home to arrest him the following day, Woods tried to headbutt an officer and had to be restrained as he attempted to escape. |
| Saunders’ niece Heba Soliman told the court he had dedicated his life to charity and volunteering work. “We will never forgive or forget the actions of the person that did this,” she said. “He took away our beloved Len’s life. He did so in the most evil and vicious way.” | Saunders’ niece Heba Soliman told the court he had dedicated his life to charity and volunteering work. “We will never forgive or forget the actions of the person that did this,” she said. “He took away our beloved Len’s life. He did so in the most evil and vicious way.” |
| The court also heard a statement from Ann Shacklady-Smith, given on behalf of Saunders’ friends, art and social groups and networks in St Helens. She said: “The space he leaves behind cannot be filled and we all miss him dearly. | The court also heard a statement from Ann Shacklady-Smith, given on behalf of Saunders’ friends, art and social groups and networks in St Helens. She said: “The space he leaves behind cannot be filled and we all miss him dearly. |
| “We wish to place on record the enormity of the loss that has been caused by this senseless act of violence that has stolen from us all a man of many talents, great integrity and humanity and who walked through his life with a generous heart and spirit.” | “We wish to place on record the enormity of the loss that has been caused by this senseless act of violence that has stolen from us all a man of many talents, great integrity and humanity and who walked through his life with a generous heart and spirit.” |
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