A Swansea man who killed another man with a single punch during what a judge described as an act of “unprovoked, gratuitous thuggery” has been sentenced to three years in prison.
Steven Vonk, 51, of Westbury Street, Brynmill, admitted the manslaughter of 63-year-old Timmy Matthews, following the incident outside The Mill pub on Brynymor Road on 25 July. Prosecutors accepted Vonk’s plea after he denied a charge of murder.
Swansea Crown Court heard that Vonk had been drinking at the pub throughout the day when he struck Mr Matthews after a brief exchange outside the premises. William Hughes KC, prosecuting, told the court that CCTV footage showed Mr Matthews “raising a thumb” towards Vonk before the defendant punched him “without any reason”.
“Mr Matthews immediately fell backwards and hit the ground,” Mr Hughes said. “He was seemingly knocked out by the force of the blow.”
Mr Matthews suffered a catastrophic head injury and was taken to hospital, where he died two days later in intensive care.
The court was told Vonk walked away, leaving his victim unresponsive on the ground. He was arrested the following day. In a text message sent to a friend shortly after the attack, Vonk wrote: “I can’t say I’m sorry, I’m not.”
Caroline Rees KC, defending, said the attack was not premeditated and had occurred “in a matter of seconds”. She told the court that Vonk was now “deeply sorry” for his actions and had entered an early guilty plea.
Mr Matthews’ daughter, Serena Matthews, said in a statement read to the court that her world had “changed forever”.
“I’m tormented at the thought of what my dad endured… and how alone and scared he must have felt,” she said. “Dad was a loving character. Our family and everyone in the community is in shock. He was my best friend, and I will never get him back.”
In sentencing, Judge Paul Thomas KC said Vonk’s actions had “violently ended the life of a 63-year-old man who had many years of life awaiting him”.
“These courts see time after time after time that a single heavy punch can be, and very often is, fatal,” he said.
Vonk will serve half of his three-year sentence in custody, with the remainder on licence.
