A MAN who killed a retired Army Sergeant in a row over £5.49 chicken wings has been jailed.
Liam Slack, 34, assaulted Paul Ainscough, 57, at a pub beer garden in Leyland, , on Saturday June 22 last year.
Liam Slack, 34, pleaded guilty to manslaughterCredit: Cavendish
Paul Ainscough, 57, died two days after being knocked over by Slack at a pubCredit: Cavendish
The pair had been drinking in the Stag, and ordered some food at 7.30pm.
Preston Crown heard how they bought a plate of chicken wings each, but Slack decided to take some of Paul’s after finishing his own portion.
Both men began rowing and Slack pushed his pal “clean over”, according to one witness.
Paul hit a stone step but got up and brushed the incident off as a joke, the court heard.
Slack admitted he had pushed Paul and expressed his regret at the time.
He later shared a taxi with two women, where he confessed again that he knocked his pal down in an argument over food.
The men texted each other about the fight the following day, during which Paul wrote: “You were a right tw*t and grabbed my chicken. You attacked me and pushed me into a wooden fence, breaking my ribs. I could hardly move.”
On the Monday morning Paul told his partner to call an ambulance for his abdominal pains.
His partner recalled how Paul seemed fined when he came home from the pub, and put his pain down to being hungover.
She left him asleep on the sofa but when she got back at around 4pm, he was unresponsive.
Paramedics pronounced him dead a short time later.
A post mortem concluded Paul had died from internal bleeding after suffering three broken ribs.
Slack admitted pushing his friend over during a police interview and later pleaded guilty to manslaughter.
The defendant was today sentenced to four years and two months in prison.
Recorder of Preston, Judge Robert Altham said upon sentencing: “Mr Ainscough was a kind, generous and thoughtful man who was well regarded by those who knew him. He had a proud past, having served in the Army for 24 years before joining the police.
“What a proud and precious life to have been taken by such a thoughtless act of violence.
“When you learned of Mr Ainscough’s death you immediately feared your actions might have been the cause and you expressed regret. Your use of alcohol is troubling.
“You knew that in drink you had a tendency to become aggressive. The fact you were drunk is an aggravating factor, as is the vulnerability of Mr Ainscough.”
He said Slack showed “genuine and immediate remorse” and the attack was not premeditated.
Paul was a retired Army SergeantCredit: Cavendish
The row unfolded at around 7.30pm on June 22 last yearCredit: Cavendish
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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