A man was killed after being knocked unconscious by a single punch thrown by his friend at his home which caused him to hit his head on the floor. While unconscious, those around him placed cigarette butts in his nose before an ambulance was called.
Richard Thompson, 42, was punched by Jamie Garwood, 34, at his home in Newport on August 30 last year, an assault which was to have catastrophic consequences. All those present at the house had been drinking and taking drugs, including Mr Thompson, and the defendant had been smoking cannabis.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard Mr Thompson and his partner Jenny Chard's home in Tewkesbury Walk had been "cuckooed", taken over by those involved in drug dealing to be used for their practices. Garwood was not involved in that but knew Mr Thompson well and knew he was addicted to class A drugs and vulnerable.
