A FATHER-of-six died after a single punch triggered a fatal haemorrhage.

David Cox, 56, suffered a subarachnoid haemorrhage after being struck between the chin and neck by teenager Jonathan Newton, who was jailed for three years yesterday.

Mr Cox died in the John Radcliffe Hospital about 12 hours after the 2am attack in Spencer Crescent, Rose Hill, Oxford, on June 26 last year.

Matthew Walsh, prosecuting, said both men were in the street shortly before 2am when their paths crossed.

He said: “What then precisely happened isn’t known.”

He said Newton’s older brother, Ryan, became agressive towards Mr Cox and asked: “What did you say to my brother?”

Mr Walsh said the younger brother said “leave him alone, let him be”, but then launched into a “totally unjustified attack”.

Witness Mary Loughran told police the aggression was “all one-sided towards Mr Cox” who “put his hands up, almost pleading, close to tears”, Mr Walsh said.

At this point, someone in the public gallery shouted at Newton: “You’re a ****ing animal.”

Mr Walsh continued: “After that exchange, the witness describes the defendant was behind Mr Cox.

“He moved slightly to the side and punched him once, a punch to the top of the neck and lower part of the chin.”

Mr Walsh said the punch was with such force that neighbours heard a loud noise like hands clapping together.

Mr Cox was one and-a-half times over the drink-drive limit. This dilated his blood vessels, making him more at risk from the injury, Judge King was told.

The 18-year-old was jailed at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after earlier admitting manslaughter. It is likely he will be released on parole after serving 18 months in prison.

Newton, then of Spencer Crescent, Oxford, told police he had been drinking all day and hit Mr Cox with a force of “six out 10”.

The court heard Newton has previous convictions for robbery, having a prohibited weapon and possessing a bladed article.

Nikki Duncan, defending, said: “It’s recognised that this is a tragic case and the consequences of his actions were terrible and have been terrible ever since for Mr Cox’s friends and family, who no doubt have strong feelings about the matter.”

She said her client, who has dyslexia and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, was extremely remorseful and had not had an easy upbringing, moving home 15 times as his mother escaped a violent partner.

She added: “If there’s anything he could do to turn back time, he would do so. He cannot apologise enough to the family of Mr Cox.”

Judge Anthony King told Newton: “This is a truly tragic case.

“For the rest of your life you will live with the knowledge that you are solely responsible for ending another man’s life – a family man with family responsibilities and loved by his family.”

Friends and family of both sides had to be separated by police after the hearing as tensions spilled over.

Victim's family digusted at sentence

THE grieving family of a man killed by one punch to the head have branded his killer’s sentence “disgusting”.

Jonathan Newton, 18, was jailed for three years at Oxford Crown Court yesterday after earlier admitting the manslaughter of father-of-six David Cox in Rose Hill, Oxford.

Mr Cox, 56, of Asquith Road, was found unconscious in a grassy area just yards from his home at about 2.20am on June 26 last year.

Last night, police called for calm in the community and said the justice system had delivered its verdict.

Mr Cox’s sister Sandra Davies, 55, of Spencer Crescent, Rose Hill, said: “We are really upset. I’m not satisfied with the sentence and the whole family is devastated. We thought once he had been sentenced it would be easier to move on, but I can’t see it now.

“I can’t understand why he has only got three years for taking someone’s life.

“We all felt for David, we felt justice wasn’t done. He will be out in a year or so. I really can’t get over the British justice system. We thought five or six years at least, that would have been good enough.

“My brother is never going to come back, but he (Newton) will go back to his parents and his family and he will be supported in prison and looked after.”

Mrs Davies, a full-time carer for her husband, who has Hodgkin’s disease, and for her mentally disabled son, added: “There was a sign in the courtroom saying ‘if you take a photo in the court you can be sent to prison for two years’. Two years for taking a photo and three years for taking someone's life. I can’t believe it.”

Mr Cox’s other sister Valerie Marsden, of Shelley Road, Cowley, said: “I am not satisfied with the outcome at all. Three years for taking someone’s life, it’s disgusting.

“The court system stinks. We are the victims in this.”