Wednesday 6 July 2022 05:39 PM Disturbing CCTV shows thug, 28, land a fatal punch on father-of-three, 49, ... trends now

A 28-year-old man has been jailed for five years and two months after he fatally punched a father-of-three outside a bar. 

Chilling CCTV shows the moment Joe Baldwin killed Charles Neeson, 49, by viciously punching him to the ground after the pair became involved in a disagreement outside Natterjacks on Braunstone Gate, Leicester, at around 10.27pm on August 27 last year.

Leicester Crown Court heard a 'scuffle' broke out between the pair after Mr Neeson was removed from the bar following an 'altercation'. Bouncers encouraged him to leave the premises and surrounding area, but he returned and started arguing with another man sitting outside of the venue.

Baldwin jumped over a fence to intervene on this new dispute. Mr Neeson shrugged him off, which resulted in Baldwin throwing two punches in quick succession.

Disturbing footage shows Mr Neeson falling straight backwards which resulted in him hitting his head on the ground and suffering fatal injures.

Mr Neeson, who died two days after the attack, suffered a bleed on the brain and three skull fractures after his head smashed into either the curb or a wooden plant pot.

Baldwin, of no fixed address, was initially arrested on suspicion of grievous bodily harm but following Mr Neeson's death he was charged with manslaughter.

Judge Timothy Spencer QC told the court that at least one of Baldwin's punches was 'fearsome enough' to knock Mr Neeson out and cause the fall.

The 28-year-old fled the scene to a nearby hotel shortly after the attack on Mr Neeson, where he took cocaine and alcohol, before handing himself in.

Last week, he pleaded guilty to the charge and today he was jailed for five years and two months at Leicester Crown Court.

Detective Inspector Mark Parish, from East Midlands Special Operations Unit Murder Investigation Team, said afterwards: 'There are absolutely no winners in this situation. What was initially believed to be a scuffle ended in such a devastating loss.