A Swansea man was sentenced to life in prison after he punched another bar patron, resulting in his death.
Swansea Crown Court Judge Geraint Walters handed Christopher Cooper, 39, a life term in prison with the possibility of parole for the beating death of 64-year-old Kelvin Evans. After a two-week trial, Cooper was found guilty and convicted of murder, though the defendant only admitted manslaughter.
"Kelvin Evans should have been able to return home safely to his family following a night out on a Sunday night in May last year. Instead, his family will never be able to forget that night. I hope that they receive some comfort from today’s sentencing and that they can now begin to grieve the loss of Kelvin, said South Wales Police detective inspector David Butt, according to Wales Online.
On May 26, Cooper’s girlfriend and co-defendant Tracy Francis performed in a karaoke session at a local pub called The Gyp while Evans and his partner watched and chatted simultaneously. However, the defendant felt the victim had been making fun of his girlfriend when he followed Evans as he left the pub and punched him in the back of the head.
Immediately, the victim became unconscious and fell to the ground. Though Evans was rushed to a nearby hospital, he succumbed to his injuries a month later. Cooper, who had several 23 prior violent convictions, fled the scene boasting about his fist and calling them “these bad boys.” The next day, the couple were arrested at a service station.
During the trial, Cooper claimed Evans had threatened to glass his girlfriend because of her karaoke performance but declined to show any evidence of it. In addition, prosecutors submitted video footage that captured the fatal incident with no evidence indicating any aggression from the victim.
“You perceived this to be about Tracy Francis voice as she used the karaoke machine. It festered in your mind from that moment onwards and that was enough to trigger the intent. As an act of revenge, nobody was going to sleight you or anybody connected with you without paying a price for it,” said Walters during the sentencing hearing, reported to Mail Online.
On the other hand, Francis was sentenced to two years in prison for her role in the murder. The prosecution established she had knowledge of the attack and refused to call the police. In addition, Francis’ phone records showed she searched for hotels immediately after the assault in an attempt to help Evans hide from authorities.
Evans's family described him as a kind-hearted individual who loved helping those in need and taking trips in his camper with relatives. He is survived by his 92-year-old mother, Maureen.
Though Cooper will be eligible for parole after serving a minimum of 16 years, he told the judge to “Go **** yourself.”
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