Damon Wright jailed for manslaughter of Kevin Wyeth in Southampton

Damon Wright was found guilty of the manslaughter of Kevin Wyeth after hitting him with such “severe force” that his face shattered and his brain was left “significantly damaged”.

The 32-year-old was cleared of the charge of murder by a majority decision from the jury but they did not accept his claim that he acted in self-defence when he viciously attacked the Saints groundsman.

During sentencing, Wright showed no emotion as he stood in the dock dressed in a dark suit and tie.

Sentencing, judge Guy Boney Mr Wyeth "never stood a chance" when he was attacked by the professional cage fighter.

He said: "I have no doubt that your intention was violence and the extent of violence was illustrated in the nature of the injuries and of death.

Damon Wright

"You are an experienced cage fighter and I have some experience, quite enough in your cage fighting career that you knew what you were doing, that it was carrying a risk of serious injury or death even if you did not intend any of those circumstances."

During the trial Wright, who is trained in eight different martial arts disciplines, admitted that he had delivered the blows that killed the dad-of-three, saying that he threw with “everything” he had.

The post mortem revealed that Kevin suffered “appalling” injuries, including multiple fractures to his face, including his jaw in pieces on both sides and even the small bone at the base of his tongue was broken.

Pathologist Amanda Jeffery gave evidence stating the lack of defensive injuries to Kevin suggested he was rendered unconscious early on in the beating last August.

Wright took more than two hours before he called an ambulance for his victim - at first calling a taxi to the spot where he had left him unconscious in the hope they would find him and avoid directly connecting him to it.

While paramedics they battled in vain in the early hours of August 24 to save Kevin, Wright was heading to Poole, where he was caught on CCTV demonstrating what he has just done to Kevin to his friend.