'Friend' killed 'wonderful' Robert Hiscoe in drunken row by throwing him to the floor as family describe neverending heartbreak
A Leeds United fan suffered "unsurviveable injuries" after being attacked by his friend in a row over their partners.
Robert Hiscoe, 47, had been trying to sort out differences with "friend" Nathaniel Philip outside The Butterbowl pub in Farnley on May 5 this year when he was seriously attacked.
Leeds Crown Court heard the two had been drinking together all day while Mr Hiscoe's wife and Philip's partner were at a bottomless brunch in the city centre. Prosecutor Nigel Edwards said Mr Hiscoe had told Philip not to talk to his wife in a certain way before things got nasty.
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He said: "The landlady at the pub said the defendant and Robert were in good spirits and fine. She had only been in the post for about a month but knew them and that they were friends and despite them being in drink there were no issues.
"They left to go into town and returned at 11.30pm. They were having a drink and described as being happy... The landlady said at some stage she went out and came in to find them shouting at each other, with Robert saying, 'Don't talk to my wife like that'."
The court heard the men went out to "make up" and could be heard shouting at each other before they returned, with Mr Hiscoe being heard to say: "I hit him".
Mr Edwards added: "The defendant walked in with blood on his face. They argued and the defendant tried to get Robert to go outside, with him saying, 'You have taken it out of proportion'. The defendant punched Robert to the face."
It was said another witness described Philip, of Cobden Terrace, Leeds, as punching Mr Hiscoe "four or five times". Mr Edwards said: "The two grappled and he [the witness] thought the defendant went lower and picked Robert up and slammed him to the floor and punched him four or five times.
"After one of two, he said Robert appeared to be unconscious and said, 'He's already out cold' and tried to grab the defendant but he landed two more punches."
It was said an ambulance was called and shocks administered to Mr Hiscoe, who later died in hospital. Philip had left the scene and was found the next day at his mum's address. He told a friend in a text he had "f***** up" and said: "Had a fight with Rob. He's hit me first but I've snapped and it's not looking good."
Mr Edwards said a post-mortem examination was carried out, and a report from specialist neuropathologist. The report concluded Mr Hiscoe died after suffering a cardiac arrest following a significant blow to the upper left side of his neck and a subarachnoid haemorrhage. Mr Edwards said: "From all of the science [the injuries] were almost certainly unsurviveable. There was no more medics could have done."
The court heard statements from Mr Hiscoe's sister, and his wife Christina. Mr Hiscoe was known to have raised thousands of pounds for the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic by live streaming his singing performances.
As she read her statement, Mr Hiscoe's sister told the court: "He was never ready to go. He had so much to live for. He didn't have a bad bone in his body. He was one of a kind, always making people feel special.
"He would always go above and beyond to help other people. I never worried about him when he went out as I knew he was so popular and loved and knew he would always be safe and no one would want to hurt him but you did.
"He was advised not to get too close to you but he never judged anyone and that cost him his life."
Mr Hiscoe's sister told the court his other sister had tried to take her own life in the wake of losing her brother, and their parents were "devastated". She said: "At one point I thought I would lose them too. My mum and dad adored their son more than life itself. He was the 'golden child' as mum would call him and dad's best friend. No parent should ever have to bury their child.
"Your actions have destroyed us and left a hole that can never be filled... Not only did you cruelly take his life, but you absconded and left him lifeless then went, knowing you had just killed our brother, while his sister lived next door to you.
"You were arrested from your mum's and was fast asleep... He had more to give. He had so much more to do, so much more to share. The sentence passed today will never be enough. It won't change anything. When you took his life, you took ours too."
Christina, Mr Hiscoe's wife and the mother of his children, said: "I am grieving not only the time I have lost in the last six months with him, but the future we had planned. His future was stolen from him... How do I look at my children and tell them the world is a safe place for them? There will always be someone missing at their graduation, walking them down the aisle.
"When they have children, they won't have him to guide them. The holidays we had together, the memories I cling to to try to recall every detail. His [Philip's] actions have taken so much from me and my girls.
"I no longer have the privilege of planning a future with my husband. The loss we feel is immense... From 6th May, my life has stopped completely. I have been in a state of disbelief or shock. My heart is broken and will never heal. He was my first love and we were inseparable."
Mrs Hiscoe said her husband would "help anyone he would" and described him as an "incredible man". She said: "He loved to sing every minute of every day. My home is now quiet with only memories to comfort me. His [Philip's] actions that night will haunt me. I have flashbacks to my husband and his lifeless body on the floor. Our lives were destroyed when Mr Philips decided to assault and kill my husband."
The court heard Philip had pleaded guilty to manslaughter and had previous convictions on his record, but none for violence.
Mitigating, Jason Pitter KC said a number of character references had been given to the court and Philip had written a letter. He said: "He does express his sorrow for what happened, but recognises that will inevitably sound hollow to anyone hearing it. This is one of the most difficult sentencing exercises you can come across where we have what are, I submit, unintended consequences of particular actions..."
Mr Pitter said Philip's behaviour was "totally out of character" and that the violence was "short lived and a matter of seconds".
Judge Howard Croson jailed Philip for five-and-a-half years and said: "At around 1.15am on the fifth May this year, you caused a fatal injury to Robert Hiscoe. His death was a tragedy because he was a wonderful, caring man who was much-loved and is much missed. Someone you considered a friend.
"His sudden death means grieving family and friends, in particular his wife, daughters and sisters and parents and many friends remain angry and they can't forgive you. If time ever changes that, that will be for them."
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