Yahoo News Hanley reveller kills clubber, 30, with single punch
Reveller Benjamin Wallbanks killed a city centre clubber with a single punch. The 41-year-old knocked out Benjamin Grosvenor, put him in a coma for months, and left him unable to live independently.
But Mr Grosvenor, from Burslem, died in hospital - around two years after the attack on Trinity Street, in Hanley. Now Wallbanks, of Opal Road, Fenton, has today been handed a nine-year extended sentence after admitting manslaughter.
The defendant - who has previous for violence - had knocked out reveller David Regan outside Hanley Pink just two months before the Trinity Street attack.
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Stafford Crown Court today heard how Mr Grosvenor had left Reflex with his brother and sister at 4am on November 28, 2021. Trouble broke out on Trinity Street and Mr Grosvenor's brother was attacked.
It was then that Wallbanks appeared on the scene.
Rebecca Wade KC, prosecuting, said: "The defendant was some distance away. The Crown's case is he had no link to the fight at all. Nonetheless he and another jogged up the road to the scene. He delivered a left punch, unprovoked, to Benjamin Grosvenor causing him immediately to fall to the floor.
"Mr Grosvenor's sister heard the sound of her brother's head making contact with the ground. Mr Grosvenor's sister said, 'What the f*** are you doing? You have almost killed him'. He replied, 'I will f****** kill him in a minute. I will kill anyone up here. I do not care. Anyone can have it'."
The court heard victim impact statements from Mr Grosvenor's sister, brother, and cousin.
Sister Victoria said: "He would literally do anything for anybody."
Brother Samuel said: "That night I lost a part of myself. He would light up a room simply by walking into it. Our family is forever broken."
Cousin Anthony Grosvenor added: "Ben was a helpful lad. He will never be forgotten and will be forever missed."
The court heard Wallbanks has stayed out of trouble for the past three years. He had believed someone had a knife on the night of the Hanley tragedy.
Charles Miskin KC, mitigating, said: "He is extremely remorseful. He has had a long time to reflect. He is very, very sorry. He hit him once to the right cheek with his left hand. He said, 'I did not even hit him hard at all'. He has shown remorse and insight. He is mortified by what he has done. He has been tee-total for three years. It was impulsive, spontaneous, and no weapons were used."
Judge Kristina Montgomery handed Wallbanks a nine-year extended sentence - a six-year custodial term and a three-year extended licence. He was sentenced to six years for the manslaughter and a six-month concurrent sentence for the Pink attack.
She told Wallbanks: "You were intent in getting amongst it. You knew nothing about the cause or the protagonists. You threw a punch. It floored Benjamin Grosvenor. He was rendered unconscious by the force of the blow and fell and struck his head on the pavement causing a brain injury, a haemorrhage to the back and front of it. The pattern of your offending suggests you will fall back into old ways. I consider the public to be at risk from you. An extended sentence must be passed on you."
