A powerfully-built thug killed his "puny" victim with a single punch after bad blood between neighbours ended in tragedy.
William Longworth had fallen out with Noel Reynolds' cousin and her family after an earlier incident in the street where they lived in North Shields. When Noel and his friend turned up to visit his cousin, unaware she had moved, Longworth got wind of the fact he was there.
Despite being on bail banning him from entering the street, Gunnerton Place, he went looking for Noel. He found him nearby, blocked his path then felled the seven-stone victim with one punch, causing a catastrophic brain injury. Longworth and his partner, Marie Office, then concocted a false alibi saying they had been together all night. Now Longworth has been jailed for manslaughter while Office was given a suspended sentence for perverting the course of justice.
Read more: 'Inhuman': North Shields couple jailed for a total of 50 years for trying to murder friend
Newcastle Crown Court heard it was on December 10 2021 that Noel, 37, of South Shields, and his friend went to Gunnerton Place, looking to visit his cousin. They were under the influence of alcohol but in "good spirits" and they became aware the cousin no longer lived there.
The court heard there was "something of a background of bad blood between" Longworth, who lived on the street and Noel's cousin and her sisters. That came from an incident in July 2021 when there had been a gathering at the cousin's home and there was a falling out. Police went to arrest Longworth at his home after that and he was drunk and headbutted two officers.
As a result of that incident, Longworth was on bail at the time of the attack on Noel with a condition to live at his father's address and not to go to Gunnerton Place.
After finding his cousin's home unoccupied, Noel and his friend were heading away from it towards a Metro station and were on Balkwell Avenue when Longworth and another man came the other way, crossing the street to confront him.
Longworth had discovered Noel was in the area as a result of a message sent to Office by someone. Sentencing him, Judge Paul Sloan KC said: "It's perfectly clear you decided to confront him, heading in the direction of Gunnerton Place even though it was a condition of your bail that you were not to enter that street.
"I'm satisfied you were the person looking for confrontation that night and you set off with an associate to locate Mr Reynolds. Having spotted him, you deliberately crossed the road and went straight up to him, blocking his path.
"Having established his identity, without warning or any provocation whatsoever you punched him forcefully in the face. You are an extremely large and powerful individual and certainly by comparison to Mr Reynolds, who was puny, not that he even had a chance to defend himself.
"The blow took him completely by surprise and was dealt with sufficient force to knock him straight to the ground, his head striking the pavement with an audible crack. He was immediately rendered unconscious and you made no effort whatsoever to come to his aid. Instead, having achieved your goal, you immediately fled the scene, running away, leaving him prostrate on the ground.
"He was bleeding from his ear. He was convulsing. He had suffered a traumatic brain injury."
His condition worsened and he had to have surgery to relieve pressure on his brain. He then developed a chest infection and breathing difficulties and he died on January 3.
In a victim impact statement, Noel's sister, Carol Reynolds, said the family have been left "heartbroken" at the death of her sibling, who she said "could charm the birds out of the trees with his cheeky personality".
She added: "It's difficult for the family to come to terms with the death of Noel. When we were told he had been assaulted with one punch we never comprehended how seriously ill he was.
"We hope one day the man who caused Noel's death will understand the effect it has had on our family. This has caused so much pain and heartbreak, not only to our family but to their loved ones."
Longworth and Office then concocted a false alibi, saying they had been together all night. Police also found CCTV from their home had been deleted but they later admitted the truth.
Longworth, 37, of Gunnerton Place, North Shields, who has several previous convictions for assault, pleading guilty to manslaughter and he and Office, 37, also of Gunnerton Place, both admitted doing acts tending or attempting to pervert the course of justice. Longworth was jailed for six years while Office got nine months suspended for 18 months with a four-month curfew between 7pm and 7am and a rehabilitation requirement.
Stuart Graham, for Longworth, said: "There's nothing more he wishes he could do than turn the clock back because of the grief he has caused the victim's family. He is genuinely, deeply and sincerely remorseful for what he has done.
"References do nothing but portray a man dedicated to his family for two decades and he has an exceedingly hard work ethic."
Fiona Lamb, for Office, urged the court to suspend the prison sentence so that the couple's three children were not left without both parents. She added: "She is remorseful and it's genuine remorse. She understands how her actions have affected the deceased's family and she deeply regrets it."
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