Police statement after man jailed for attacking Southampton boss

Arjan Balla was sentenced to 12 months in jail on Monday after he admitted the manslaughter of Anastassios Delis in November 2006. 

Balla - who had been using a fake name at the time - punched Mr Delis to the ground in Queensway, Southampton. 

He was initially sentenced to three years for grievous bodily harm, but his victim never regained consciousness and died from complications as a result of the injury in 2017. 

READ MORE: Man dies 11 years after being punched in Southampton as killer jailed

Arjan Balla. (Image: Hampshire Constabulary)

As reported today, a new case was then opened which led to Balla, 41, being tracked down and arrested in January this year. 

Police Staff Investigator Gary Sumner, who led the manslaughter investigation, said: “The circumstances of this case are highly unusual and extremely sad, and we are thankful that the family and loved ones of Anastassios Delis now have justice, seven years after his death and 18 years after his assault.

“Initial enquiries following the victim’s death were hampered by the fact that Balla had been under a false identity in the UK, even throughout the initial GBH criminal investigation and his imprisonment.

"That meant that initial efforts to locate him under the name Tahir Karaj were unsuccessful, causing us complex difficulties throughout the investigation.

“Following our own enquiries, alongside the support of the National Crime Agency, we were eventually able to determine that Karaj was in fact named Arjan Balla and he was arrested and charged swiftly after that.

“We are pleased that Balla will now face the consequences of taking another man’s life in such a senseless and violent assault, and hope that this sentence today demonstrates that we are committed to securing justice for the victims of such horrendous crimes, no matter how much time has passed.”