Daily Mail
February 25, 2014
This is the shocking moment a pedestrian was killed by a single punch after he got into a row about cycling on the pavement.
Andrew Young, 40, became involved in an argument with cyclist Victor Ibitoye after he told him that cycling on the pavement was dangerous.
The cyclist rode off but moments later his friend, Lewis Gill, approached Mr Young, who suffered from Asperger’s Syndrome, and punched him in the face without provocation.
CCTV footage shows Mr Young falling backwards and striking his head on the road surface.
Gill, 20, can then be seen to walk away after looking back to see his victim lying motionless on the ground.
The attack took place in a busy shopping area of Bournemouth, Dorset, and several passersby rushed to Mr Young’s aid.
He was rushed to hospital where he died the following day from head injuries with his mother at his bedside.
Gill pleaded guilty to a charge of manslaughter and was jailed for four-and-a-half years.
After the hearing, Mr Young’s mother Pamela described the sentence as a ‘joke’.
The incident took place at 4.25pm on November 6 last year outside a Tesco Express in Charminster, Bournemouth.
Mr Young was said to be able to speak several languages but had the social skills of a 14-year-old due to his condition.
The court heard Mr Young told Mr Ibitoye during the argument that riding his bike on the pavement was a ‘dangerous activity’.
Mrs Young said: ‘He was very particular because of his Asperger’s and he wouldn’t have liked seeing someone riding a bicycle on the pavement because it was dangerous.’
After the brief argument Mr Ibitoye cycled away from Mr Young and apparently had no idea what Gill was about to do.
Kerry Maylin, prosecuting, said: ‘The defendant claims he was worried about Andrew Young because he thought he was being menacing.
‘He said Andrew Young put his hand to his pocket and he thought he was going to pull out a knife or a gun.’