James Collinson jailed for manslaughter: Victim John Glenn 'was my best friend, and an amazing grandad,' says his daughter

The daughter of Scarborough man John Glenn, who died after a punch to the head in a pub, said of him: “He was the most kind and big-hearted person you could meet.”
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Kelly Murphy was at his bedside, holding his hand, when 59-year-old Mr Glenn's life-support machine was switched off, four weeks after the attack at the Golden Last pub in Eastborough. He had never regained consciousness.

Ms Murphy described her beloved father as “my best friend”.

“He was an amazing grandad and… had the patience of a saint,” she said.

Leeds Combined Court CentreLeeds Combined Court Centre
Leeds Combined Court Centre
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Ms Murphy, who never left her father’s side during his four-week fight for life, added: “It was as if my whole world had stopped.

"My heart has been properly broken and I don’t think it will ever be fixed.”

Leeds Crown Court heard that James Collinson, 38, from Bridlington, struck Mr Glenn with a mighty blow which knocked him to the floor - out cold and motionless.

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The attack was filmed by a man in the pub who was wearing glasses with a built-in hidden spy camera.

Mr Glenn's family had to make the heart-breaking decision to switch off life support after being told by neurosurgeons that Mr Glenn had suffered “irreparable” brain damage from the “concussive” blow and would not wake from an induced coma.

Defence barrister Peter Makepiece QC described the dreadful scenes at the Golden Last as “one-punch” manslaughter.

Judge Tom Bayliss QC told Collinson: “You have taken (Mr Glenn’s) life and as far as his family are concerned, their lives will never be the same.”

He described the attack as “wholly unprovoked”.

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He said the case was a “tragedy” and commiserated with Mr Glenn’s family for their “dreadful loss”.

Mr Bayliss said he considered Collinson to be a danger to the public when in drink because of his “entrenched willingness to use violence without the slightest provocation”.

Collinson was jailed for six years, of which he will serve two-thirds behind bars or until the Parole Board deems him fit to be released.