Football fan killed with a single punch in 'gratuitous thuggery'

A MAN killed a pub customer with a single powerful punch to the head, a court has heard. Steven Vonk turned and walked away after flooring his victim, then texted a friend to say: "Can't say I'm sorry because I'm not.

- JASON EVANS

Steven Vonk

Swansea Crown Court heard that 63-year-old Timmy Matthews suffered catastrophic brain injuries in the assault and died in hospital having only briefly regained consciousness.

A judge told Vonk that because of his "unprovoked, gratuitous thuggery" a man's life had been cut short.

William Hughes, for the prosecution, told the court that on July 25 this year, Mr Matthews was with a group of friends on the pavement outside The Mill pub on Swansea's Bryn-yMor Road when the defendant and his group of friends walked passed.

He said a witness would later recall seeing a man in a Wales football shirt - Mr Matthews - reaching out to shake hands with Vonk, but the defendant instead delivered a single punch to his victim's head which sent him crashing to the ground.

The barrister said Mr Matthews did not break his fall and said people at the scene were of the opinion that he was unconscious before he hit the concrete pavement.

Vonk and his friends walked away from the pub in the direction of nearby King Edward's Road.

The court heard that a woman in a car on Bryn-y-Mor road who saw what happened called 999 and paramedics and police officers rushed to the pub. Mr Matthews was given emergency treatment at the scene before being taken to Morriston Hospital.

Meanwhile, 51-year-old Vonk had gone to a friend's house and the court heard that in the aftermath of the incident he texted a woman he knew to say "I done what I done" and "can't say I'm sorry because I'm not".

The prosecutor said Mr Matthew briefly regained consciousness after the assault and was noted to be "confused", but while being prepared for a brain scan his condition quickly deteriorated.