Liam Morgan-Whittle (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)
A 22-year-old man died after being punched by a former colleague as part of a “punch-for-punch game” in a flat in . Liam Morgan-Whittle was struck in the head twice by Jason Thomas, 40, after arguing over “who could take a punch better”, Swansea Crown Court heard.
The former builders had been drinking and taking cocaine in the flat in Llanelli, Wales, and had been “joking and laughing” for most of the conversation, the court heard. Prosecutor William Hughes KC said: “There came a point in the evening where they began a discussion which could be described as banter but became an increasingly aggressive argument as to who could take a punch better.”
Jason Thomas played a punching game with Liam in a flat in Llanelli (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police)
Thomas allegedly told Mr Morgan-Whittle, “I’ll hit you first”, to which the younger man replied, “go on then”. Michael Davies, who lived in the flat the gathering was taking place in, told police he tried to discourage the punching game.
Mr Davies claimed neither of the blows were “friendly”, and told Thomas: “What have you done, there was no need for it.” Thomas allegedly replied: “He asked for it, I told him not to mess.”
John Hipkin KC, defending, said: “Jason Thomas never intended that Liam Morgan-Whittle be seriously injured, let alone die. There was a punch-for-punch game the two had become involved in. Jason Thomas has struggled to cope with what he has done. His remorse is genuine.”
Judge Paul Thomas KC said: “This tragic event was fuelled by your excessive alcohol and cocaine use which caused you to lose all common sense.
“You were warned by someone present not to do that. He could see the risk. But you in your substance-befuddled state, could not.
“Both the punches you delivered were with great force, sufficient to knock him unconscious, and then to go into cardiac arrest from which he never recovered.”
Jonathan Pritchard of the Crown Prosecution Service said: “Regardless of what was said that night, Jason Thomas decided to use his fists and bears full responsibility for his actions. Our thoughts remain with Liam’s family and friends who have suffered a terrible loss.”
Claire Whittle said she will “never” comes to terms with the devastating loss of her “loving, caring and funny” son.
She said: “No matter what I say, words cannot explain the pain, devastation, anguish, and anger we have endured since Liam was taken. Nobody should go through tragedy like we all have because it is unending.”
Thomas, from Llanelli, admitted manslaughter and he has been jailed for two-and-a-half years.