Judge tells one-punch attacker he is lucky

Dad-of-one James Campbell, 30, was told by a District Judge Jeff Brailsford: “What you did could have ended up on a manslaughter charge.”

Campbell was drunk after watching a darts tournament.

He asked a woman for a chip. She pointed out they were her boyfriend’s and when he joined in the chat, Campbell felled him.

The victim hit his head on the pavement in an incident witnessed by police and paramedics.

Campbell of, St Andrews Road South, admitted assault. He was ordered to do 180 hours’ unpaid work for the community and pay costs which totalled £980. He had previously claimed self-defence but failed to turn up at trial and was convicted in his absence.