England Fan Jailed For Killing Wales Supporter

An England football fan who killed a Wales supporter outside Wembley stadium has been jailed for three years.

Ian Mytton, 41, admitted the manslaughter of 44-year-old Michael Dye last month.

Mr Dye died from head injuries from what one witness described as a single "sickening punch" before the Euro 2012 qualifier between England and Wales on September 6.

The court heard Mytton had drunk five pints of lager that day and was holding a can of Strongbow as he and five friends approached Mr Dye and his friend Anthony Riella.

Prosecutor Philip Bennetts QC described Mytton and a group of five friends shouting abuse at Mr Riella and Mr Dye.

"There were shouts of 'you f****** sheep sh*****s' and 'f*** off'," said Mr Riella in a witness statement.

He added that he and Mr Dye looked over at the shouting group and laughed.

Soon after, Mytton and five others approached the pair, whereupon Mytton launched the attack.

The court heard Mr Dye was "poleaxed" by the punch and fell backwards without trying to stop himself, hitting his head on the ground and suffering "massive brain damage".

The father of three suffered a fractured skull and died shortly after arriving at Northwick Park hospital.

"It was something you would see in a boxing ring," a witness said.

"As a football fan I have seen many scuffles but the force of that punch was such that it was something I will never forget."

In an emotional statement read to the court, Mr Dye's wife Nathalie said: "The man who caused Mike's death might as well have killed me that night. Part of me died alongside Mike.

"The only thing to look forward to is being with my darling husband once again."

In mitigation, judge Anthony Morris recognised the fact that Mytton handed himself in to police and was now suffering from depression.

Mytton, from Redditch, wept as he was sentenced.