Alan Barefoot, left,died in hospital after receiving a single punch to the head outside the Royal Pub in Thirsk from Benjamin Calvert (Picture: North News)
A dad who was celebrating his first night out since the birth of his daughter died after being attacked by two men.
Alan Barefoot was drinking in a North Yorkshire pub on October 16, 2021, when a fight broke out.
The 32-year-old was asked to leave the Thirsk pub after being accused of stealing a drink from the brother of one of the men he would come to blows with.
Leeds Crown Court heard how CCTV captured him having an ‘animated’ discussion with Thomas Cressey, 25, and Benjamin Calvert, 22.
When things turned physical, Calvert could be seen pushing Mr Barefoot off a bar stool before the new dad piled out of the pub with his friends.
In the commotion a woman was knocked to the ground and Mr Barefoot was blamed for an injury to her ankle.
The court heard how at this point Cressey ‘flipped’ and head-butted him before going back inside the pub.
Mr Barefoot got to his feet but was left ‘dazed’ by the attack before Calvert, whose parents Mark and Maxine own the pub, could be seen restraining him.
Calvert was then seen delivering a single blow to his head, knocking Mr Barefoot unconscious to the floor.
Mr Barefoot was celebrating the birth of his daughter Willow (Picture: North News & Pictures Ltd)
The court heard he had been trying to retreat from the confrontation and did not try to defend himself.
People outside the pub rushed to the aid of Mr Barefoot, put him in the recovery position and called the emergency services.
He was admitted to hospital with serious head injuries but never regained consciousness and died on October 24, 2021.
The impact on Mr Barefoot’s family was so significant his former partner and mother of two of his sons took her own life in the aftermath in part due to the trauma she had suffered.
After the fight, the court heard how Calvert left the scene to change his clothes and the original outfit he was wearing has never been recovered by police.
He was later located and arrested before testing positive for cocaine.
He admitted to drinking around 10 pints of lager and initially claimed self-defence, refusing to give police the pin code to his mobile phone.
Officers eventually gained access and found messages where he admitted to his role in the incident but he told investigators he could not remember the night’s events.
Benjamin Calvert, 22, was sentenced to five years and four months in jail (Picture: North News & Pictures Ltd)
When he heard about the police appeal for information, Cressey handed himself in and admitted his part in the brawl.
Defending, Matthew Harding KC said Calvert had initially ushered others away from Mr Barefoot and was not involved in the build-up to the violence.
He went on to say how he changed his clothes in a ‘panic’ once he realised the gravity of the situation.
Cressey’s barrister, Denise Breen-Lawton KC, said he was ‘full of remorse’ and took full responsibility for his actions, describing him as a ‘caring and polite’ man.
Family victim impact statements were read out to the court from Mr Barefoot’s mother Karen Banks, partner Charlotte Dickinson and 16-year-old sister.
He had become a father to his daughter Willow shortly before his death and had three sons from previous relationships.
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Alan’s partner Charlotte, said: ‘It has been extremely hard dealing with the whole experience. All of our daughter’s firsts will be missed by Bezzy, her first birthday was definitely the hardest and this will be the same for Bezzy’s other children.
‘The future is going to be very different for us both and we will have to learn how to cope with our new future.
‘I would just like to say a massive thank you to the investigation team, victim support and the family liaison officers for all their hard work and support over the last year.’
Setencing, Judge Tom Baylis sentenced Calvert, of Sowbery, to five years and four months in prison after he pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
Cressey, of Boroughbridge, received a six-month suspended sentence after pleading guilty to affray.
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The 32-year-old was knocked out cold and never woke up.