Killer's mum jailed after 'misguided loyalty' saw her try to block police investigation

The mother of a man imprisoned for killing his friend in a one-punch attack has been sentenced to six months in jail for attempting to prevent police from accessing her son's mobile phone, acting out of "misguided loyalty" amidst her "emotional turmoil".

Michael Pearson was sentenced to seven-and-a-half years after being found guilty of manslaughter for the death of Scott Akester. The confrontation, which took place on the street, ended with Mr. Akester falling and hitting his head with such force that it caused a fractured skull and brain swelling, knocking out two of his front teeth in the process.

Scott Akester tragically passed away in hospital despite medical staff's efforts to save him. Pearson, 31, from Saltshouse Road in East Hull, had denied unlawfully killing 31 year old Mr. Akester on November 19, 2022, but a jury convicted him following a three-week trial that concluded on May 18 last year.

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He received his sentence at Hull Crown Court on June 29.

Pearson's mother, Joanne Pearson, 61, a retired social worker, admitted to attempting to prevent the seizure of her son's mobile phone during a homicide investigation in order to obstruct justice, reports Hull Live.

Robert Stevenson, prosecuting, said that following the early-morning incident on the street, Michael Pearson returned home to his girlfriend, with whom he had exchanged text messages about what had happened to Mr Akester. Additionally, he exchanged messages with his friends and brother, who had been present during the night out and the assault.

In the messages, Michael Pearson suggested that Mr Akester "had it coming" because of a disagreement with his brother earlier in the evening. He stated that he "sparked him out" and that Mr Akester's head hit the ground with great force.

Concerned about the presence of a couple who had witnessed the assault, he instructed his girlfriend, brother, and friends to delete their text messages.

"Michael Pearson met with his brother before handing himself in," said Mr Stevenson. Just before turning himself in, Michael Pearson conducted Google searches about the typical sentence for manslaughter.

"It was clear that his phone was going to be essential evidence in the investigation," said Mr Stevenson. Shortly before noon, Joanne Pearson and his brother drove Michael Pearson to the police station.

The mobile was still operational and pinging off phone masts, ceasing transmission near his residence. When it was eventually discovered at Joanne Pearson's home on 20th November 2022, it was in her coat pocket following her arrest.

The device was found inside a plastic bag, smashed and soaked in acetone or a similar substance.

"The prosecution can't say when the phone was destroyed," stated Mr Stevenson. It happened during the afternoon or evening of 19 November 2022, a time when Mr Akester was critically ill.

Police visited Joanne Pearson's home at 11pm on 19 November 2022 due to an allegation by the brother that his car had been stolen. "It had not been stolen," clarified Mr Stevenson.

The vehicle had been used to transport Michael Pearson and Mr Akester for their night out and had been relocated by Joanne Pearson during the day to the brother's house. Joanne Pearson and the brother were arrested after 11pm on suspicion of aiding an offender in relation to the report of the stolen car.

She was dressed in a dressing gown and was permitted to change clothes. She donned a coat with Michael Pearson's broken phone in the pocket. She requested to use the toilet twice in quick succession.

She removed the coat containing the broken phone from the pocket and placed it on her bed. She put on a different coat before she was searched and taken into custody.

During the police interview, she remained silent to all questions but claimed in a statement that she had no idea where Michael Pearson's phone was.

"The phone was of significant importance during the trial of Michael Pearson," said Mr Stevenson. The police could not initially access the information on it.

Charlotte Baines, mitigating, said that Joanne Pearson had no previous convictions. At the time, she was "somewhat in a state of emotional turmoil" but she understood the impact of Mr Akester's death on his family and friends.

"She has shown exceptional victim empathy," said Miss Baines. "She feels dreadfully sympathetic and sorrowful for their loss. "She was going through some emotional turmoil and she let a very strong misguided loyalty take over her that day. "Joanne Pearson did not know what material was on the phone. "That lessens the seriousness of the offence," said Miss Baines. At the time, Mr Akester had not died but Joanne Pearson knew that he was gravely ill at that time."

The police did have to get over some hurdles in order to obtain the material," said Miss Baines. "The police, of course, retrieved that information.

It was capable of being used and was used at the trial. It did not have any detrimental effect on the Crown's ability to prosecute the trial.

""She made a very serious error of judgement out of misguided loyalty. She, deep down, did not want the police to have the phone and recognises the extreme error of her conduct in that respect.

""It was wholly and utterly out of her character. " Numerous character references were provided for the woman who began her career as a nursery nurse before retraining, graduating from Hull University, and transitioning into a role as a social worker with a focus on safeguarding children.After retiring in 2021 following two decades in the field, she assisted in caring for Michael Pearson's two young children, aged four and two. "She has given to her community, not just by the work that she has undertaken, but in a number of roles in volunteering and she has done charity work," stated Miss Baines.Pearson had established a mental health-related charity, which she helped manage behind the scenes. She also played a governance role at a local school.Judge John Thackray KC addressed Pearson, saying: "You knew that your son was involved in assaulting his friend and you appreciated the significance of your son's mobile telephone.

It was a critically important piece of evidence. ""It contained important bad character evidence but, perhaps most importantly, the contents demonstrated that your son's actions were unlawful and contrary to self-defence.

""Despite that, having left your son at the police station, you damaged the telephone and did your best to keep it from the police. It caused significant delays in the investigation and that culminated in an application to vacate your son's trial only three days before the trial was due to commence.

"I rejected that application but I have no doubt that the application itself caused distress and concern to the family of Scott Akester. I accept that you were in a state of turmoil.

"Ultimately, only appropriate punishment can be achieved by way of an immediate custodial sentence. "

Pearson nodded to the judge and looked down as she was led out of the secure dock to be taken down to the cells. During an earlier hearing before Hull Magistrates' Court on January 3, a previous charge against Joanne Pearson of assisting an offender was withdrawn.

After the hearing, the family of Mr Akester said in a statement: "For our family, it wasn't about what sentence was going to be given, it was about her being accountable for her actions.

"We are now pleased this process has now completed and all the heartache we have had to go through over the last 18 months has come to an end. We will now strive to move forward with our charity, One Punch Hull and East Yorkshire, keeping Scott's memory alive for years to come.

"We will continue our work in raising awareness of the risks of one-punch attacks to stop other families going through what we have and other children growing up without their daddy, as Ella is now doing. "We hope everyone will realise the devastation caused really isn't worth it and that we help to change behaviours and save lives.

For more information about our charity, please visit www.onepunchhull.com".

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