A MAN who killed a father-of-three with a single punch during a night out has been jailed for six years.

Phillip Begley, 44, was found guilty of the manslaughter of workmate at roadworks firm Ringway Paul Morrison, of Burton Leonard, near Ripon, following a four-day trial at Leeds Crown Court.

Begley was also found guilty of actual bodily harm for an attack on Mr Morrison’s friend, Peter Bell, and was sentenced to six months’ imprisonment to run consecutively.

The men had met last November in Harrogate, and were drinking in the beer garden of the Wetherspoons Winter Gardens pub, in Parliament Street, when Begley punched Mr Morrison in the face.

The 51-year-old fell backwards hitting his head on the base of a pillar, sustaining a serious head injury from which he died almost three weeks later.

Mr Bell suffered facial injuries in the incident, which required hospital treatment.

The trial heard Begley claim he had feared he would be attacked by the men.

Detective Chief Inspector Pete Martin said the case highlighted how much damage one punch could cause.

He added Begley, of Wellington Road, Bridlington, had not accepted responsibility for his actions and had forced Paul’s family to sit through the anguish of a crown court trial.

He said: “Paul was enjoying a night out with his friends and he never came home, which is a devastating and tragic scenario which no family should ever have to deal with."

After Mr Morrison's death, his wife, Lisa, and three children, Marie, Leah and Joe, described him as a "devoted family man".