Nick Medlin died after 'completely unprovoked attack' outside pub by Michael Hudson

Michael Hudson, 33, was out on Christmas Eve last year with friends when he struck Nicholas Medlin, a 57-year-old father of two, in the face causing him to fall straight back and hit his head on the pavement.

Mr Medlin, who had been out for the evening with his wife Danielle and sons Joe, then 27, and Charlie, then 22, died in front of his loved ones after suffering 'unsurvivable head injuries' as a result of the punch.

Winchester Crown Court, Hants, heard Mr Medlin, a prison officer at HMP Parkhurst, on the Isle of Wight, suffered two skull fractures in the 'completely unprovoked attack'.

The fall from the punch caused bleeding on the brain and the single blow was 'so forceful it fractured Mr Medlin's jaw'.

The family-of-four had been for dinner, and played Connect 4 and karaoke before heading to the Red Inn to play pool.

While in the Rose Inn, in Ventnor on the island, Mr Medlin was leaving the toilet when he held the door open for one of Mr Hudson's friends - Lewis Tims - who verbally abused him.

The court heard Mr Medlin, of Ventnor, replied by saying 'there's no need for that'.

There was an argument before the pub closed and Mr Medlin and his family left.

As he stood outside Mr Medlin, who was 6ft 5" and weighed between 17-19 stone, was punched once by Hudson.

Mark Ruffell, prosecuting, said: "Mr Hudson and Mr Medlin had never met before that evening and there is no suggestion of pre-exisiting animosity between Mr Hudson's group of friends and Nick Medlin prior to that evening.

"At some point Nick Medlin and his son Charlie went to the toilet. Another male, one of the defendant's friends Lewis Tims, went in and followed Nick Medlin out of the toilets.

"Nick opened the door to let him through, he was sworn at. That was the start of what progressed into this incident.

"Danielle Medlin recalls as she went outside through the door of the pub, she heard her son screaming 'he has just hit my dad'.

"She saw a body on the floor and realised eventually it was her husband.

"She realised he was not consicous, he was unresponsive to efforts by her and others to revive him. She witnessed him dying at the scene."

He added: "Outside the pub there was no aggression being shown by Nick Medlin. He was standing still and was struck by the defendant.

"He was struck by the defendant because Mr Hudson was getting a blow in on behalf of Lewis who was gesturing from the other side of the street to Nick Medlin.

"It was a single blow that caused Nick Medlin to fall straight back and hit his head on the pavement. Police officers attended and attempted to save his life but the injuries were too serious.

"The pathologist said death was caused by a head injury. There were two skull fractures and bruises to his face.

"A single heavy impact to the back of Nick Medlin's head caused his death. There was bleeding into the brain and non survivable brain injuries.

"The blow was so forceful it fractured Nick Medlin's jaw. It knocked him backwards causing an accelarated fall."

Mr Ruffell added: "Had Mr Medlin not struck the back of his head by remaining upright or falling differently and survived the injury, he would have undoubtedly required surgical intervention with screws and plates due to the fractured jaw."

In a victim impact statement, Mrs Medlin said she and her family were suffering "complete devestation" at the loss of Mr Medlin.

She added she was staying away from the Isle of Wight, where the family had bought their dream home shortly before Mr Medlin's death and was planning to sell the property.

The court heard how prisoners at HMP Parkhurst wrote letters to the warden expressing their sadness at Mr Medlin's death and stating how much he had helped them.

Witnesses named Mr Hudson and Mr Tims - who was charged with a section 4 offence of causing fear or provocation of violence and sentenced previously - and police officers were searching for the pair when both decided to hand themselves in on Christmas Day.

The court heard Mr Hudson has appeared in court 44 times and been convicted of 114 offences - seven of which are against a person.

Barry Gilbert, defending, said Hudson had not intended to kill Mr Medlin and had shaken Mr Medlin's hand inside the pub shortly before the attack as he was 'trying to keep things calm'.

He added: "Mr Hudson, thinking he was helping his friend, struck Mr Medlin on the side of the face just the once.

"His intention to cause death was non-existent.

"It was wrong and he accepts that. Nothing is going to compensate the Medlin family for their loss of a husband, dad and son.

"He was a secondary part, he did not cause it. He completely misjudged the situation and hit Mr Medlin - the man who minutes before he had shaken his hand.

"It was completely misjudged by Mr Hudson with the tragic results as you all know."

He added: "I would suggest that what he did when he punched Nicholas Medlin was an intentional blow but the results were wholly unintentional."

Judge Justice Bobbie Cheema-Grubb said: "There was complete devastation on Christmas Day. They had lost a man who everyone loved. Nobody had anything bad to say about him.

"Due to his work he was skilled in diffusing hostile situations, none of which prevailed on this night. Nicholas Medlin was a gifted and patient prison officer as demonstrated with a number of prisoners expressing their own sorrow."

She added: "The sentence passed on you must reflect the catastrophic consquences of the violence. He was a man who did not wish you harm at all.

"He was not a threat to you in any way. It was a forceful punch, it was so forceful you knocked him out immediately and broke his jaw.

"Consequently he was not able to support his fall.

"This is not a case of someone who causes more injury than intended and is immediately remorseful.

"On the contrary, you left the scene and revealed by your letters [to a friend] that your thoughts for consequences of your actions was purely for yourself."

Hudson, of no fixed abode, admitted manslaughter and was sentenced to six and a half years imprisonment.