The girlfriend of a man killed by one punch has vowed to campaign against street violence to ensure his tragic death was not in vain.
Neil McDonald, 34, from Percyvale Street, Macclesfield, died after being punched in the head by John Anthony Cunningham following a night out. Cunningham, 30, of no fixed abode and previously of Reddish, Stockport, was jailed for five years last month.
He could be free by February 2012 because of time served.
Chester Crown Court heard Cunningham, who had been drinking and had six previous convictions for violence, was seen laughing as he walked away from the unprovoked assault in Macclesfield town centre last August.
Now Neil’s girlfriend, Joanne Foster, 35, who witnessed the attack, is campaigning to raise awareness on the dangers of drink and drug-fuelled trouble. She also wants tougher sentences for manslaughter cases.
Joanne, an NHS clerical worker, said: “One-punch manslaughter cases may be recognised more now, but there is still a big gap between that and the minimum of 15 years for murder.
“It could have been anybody that night in the wrong place at the wrong time and I want to make sure that this doesn't happen to anyone else.
“I want to make people aware that when they have a drink or take drugs they put themselves and others at risk– it can lead to tragic consequences. It isn’t just the victim, the whole family will be dealing with this now for the rest of our lives.”
She has the backing of Macclesfield MP Sir Nicholas Winterton and the town’s Conservative candidate David Rutley.
Joanne has also approached England footballer Jermain Defoe, whose half-brother died following a one punch assault last year.
His killer was sentenced to three years last week.
She is calling for judges to be granted tougher sentencing powers and for night-time revellers to be more aware of the dangers of aggressive behaviour caused by alcohol and drugs.
More than 1,500 people signed up to support a Facebook appeal called ‘Justice For Neil’.
Joanne’s campaigning website is at www.priceofapunch.co.uk.
You can also lend your support to Joanne by signing her e-petition to Prime Minister Gordon Brown calling for tougher sentencing in manslaughter cases. Just log on to http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/PriceofaPunch/
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Blair's Britain = Scum nation.
FACT
You can campaign until you are blue in the face while we have governments and politicians who will not get us out of the "Human rights acts" We need real deterents.But i keep saying these words but i know we have people in britain who think talking to these killers and try to rehabilitate this scum but we all know this dosnt work but over forty years weve tried to control these killers looney liberal way.ITS NOT WORKING !!. Its time to bring back "Draconian measures" We know these work.and even if they dont the killers are not alive to commit more crimes on their release.
The Realist
I agree. Blair and co were too busy 'social engineering' to do the real work.
SORRY TO SAY THIS BUT THE ONLY THING GOOD ABOUT MANCHESTER IS THE ROAD OUT OF IT. I REMEMBER A TIME WHEN I LOVED THIS CITY AND THE PEOPLE OF MANCHESTER 90 PER CENT, BUT THE SCUM HAVE TAKEN OVER, I DONT CARE WHAT THE POLICE SAY ABOUT CRIME BEING DOWN ITS NOT. I AM SURE ITS THE WAY WE BRING UP THE CHRILDREN TO NOT SHOUT AT THEM OR TELL THEM OFFF OR LET THEM STAY OUT ALL HOURS LET THEM DO WHAT THEY WANT.ITS THE 20 PERCENT THAT GIVE ALL A BAD NAME. SO THERE ARE MORE OF THE CAREING PEOPLE APPYING TO EMERGRATE TO CANADA, U.S.A ,AUSTRALIA,,NEW ZELAND ECT THAN EVER. HOPE I DIDNT OFFEND ANYONE BUT IF WE LET THIS GO WITHOUT COMMENT WE LET THE SCUM WIN.
Human rights should only apply to those who behave like humans !!!!!!!!!
Ace and Hurry, you are both 100% right in my opinion.
This case or campaign has absolutely nothing to do with either Tony Blair or the Human Rights Act. What needs to change is the sentencing guidelines for manslaughter while committing an unlawful act.
Good luck Jo.
Macc Police and the justice system should hang their heads in shame.
Stand for election or something - this needs to be on the national agenda. There is no justice in this country.
Eh, Pongo61? Why should the police "hang their heads in shame" in the context of this story?
The sentence for this should start at 15 years with a 50% reduuctiond and if there is any reoffending with in the 15 years then the second sentence should be the full 15 years. The victims families have their sentence set without any chance for change afterall.
Pongo61 - sentencing in this country has nothing, nothing to do with the police. The police do the work to bring these people to hopeful justice. It is then the Courts who ignore all the hard graft the police do and then let them off.
Whenever I hear of a story like this and people knocking the police, I just wish they had a little more knowledge of how the criminal "justice" system in this country works (or not).
The police do the work, the courts let them off.
if it had been Baroness Scotland's husband or son she would have been the first campaigning to bring back capital punishment.it's people like her,do-gooders,and politically correct freaks,plus the most STUPID government in my lifetime that has brought this country to its present position.even America the so called greatest democracy in the world still has capital punishment,while we have to bow down to do-gooders etc.
if Baroness Scotland was made to live on a council estate for 12 months she'd soon change her outlook on how the REAL world works.
another realist.