Man jailed for more than five years for killing his best friend with single punch after dispute

A man has been sentenced to more than five years in prison for killing his "best friend" with a single punch after a disagreement on a night out.

Jay Webster, 28, pleaded guilty in May to the manslaughter of 27-year-old Benjamin Lloyd.

The incident took place outside Caerphilly Library at around 8.50pm on 1 April, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

The court was shown CCTV footage which captured the fatal blow which caused Mr Lloyd to fall to the floor, hitting his head.

Around three minutes after the incident Mr Lloyd regained consciousness.

After he refused medical treatment, he was taken home by police officers but the next morning his father found him unresponsive at their home.

Despite his father's best efforts at administering CPR, Mr Lloyd passed away.

Prosecutors told the court the cause of death was a "blunt force head injury".

Two eyewitnesses made calls to the emergency services in the aftermath of the incident, telling the operator Mr Lloyd was "in a bad way".

'Long-lasting bond'

Sentencing Webster to five years and three months in prison on Tuesday, Judge Lloyd-Clarke described Mr Lloyd as Webster's "best friend" and said though the pair had disagreements in the past they "always made up because [they] had a very close and long-lasting bond".

"You had a disagreement. You had walked away, he had walked away. You were the one who came back," she said.

After the punch, the judge said: "He [Mr Lloyd] hit his head on the floor, the noise being described by an eyewitness as 'horrible to hear'."

Mr Lloyd was "very much loved by his family and friends, including you", the judge said.

"You immediately regretted your action," she added. "I accept your remorse is genuine."

In a victim impact statement read out on her behalf by prosecuting KC James Wilson, Mr Lloyd's mother said: "Ben and Jay knew each other for about 20-odd years."

"The boys always got on really well," she added. "I look upon Jay as almost one of the family."

'Tragic case'

Mitigating, John Ryan KC said Webster had shown "genuine remorse".

He "stayed with his friend" and was there "rendering assistance for some time".

The fatal blow was an "instinctive one rather than a premeditated one", he added.

Webster told police he "felt awful and that it shouldn't have ended like that".

Outside court, Detective Superintendent Nick Wilkie from Gwent Police described the incident as a "tragic case that has resulted in the needless loss of a life".

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"In a split second a person can become a killer or be killed," he said.

"I know today's sentencing will never bring Ben back, however I hope this outcome brings some consolation and closure for them."

Police Staff Investigator Chris Thorne read out a statement on behalf of Mr Lloyd's family outside court, in which they said "it's such a tragedy it ended this way".

"Ben loved Jay and they were thick as thieves growing up," he said.

"Although we are heartbroken that we have lost such an amazing man, we also know that Ben wouldn't want any malice or ill feeling over such a tragic incident."