A MAN from Wybunbury has been jailed for six years over the killing of a businessman at Audlem.

Samuel Thorpe, 26, of Annions Lane, was convicted at an previous hearing of the manslaughter of Adam Lovatt on May 25, 2018 and received the custodial sentence at Liverpool Crown Court today (Friday).

Co-defendant, Nicolas Hill, 38, of Moorsfield Avenue, Audlem, who was cleared of manslaughter, received a 12-month prison sentence and a 12-month supervision order after pleading guilty to assisting an offender at a previous hearing.

The incident happened in the early hours of the morning outside the Bridge Inn on Shropshire Street in Audlem.

Mr Lovatt, who had spent part of the evening celebrating his 45th birthday with his wife, was chased by Thorpe and Hill after he left the Shroppie Fly pub on Audlem Wharf.

Thorpe confronted Mr Lovatt outside the Bridge Inn and punched him in the face causing him to fall backwards, striking his head on the ground.

His victim suffered two skull fractures and a large bleed on the brain and passed away later that day.

In an attempt to evade police attention, Thorpe and Hill drove away from the scene through quiet country lanes to Market Drayton where they bought lager before they went back to Hill's house.

Thorpe tried to cover the duo's tracks, throwing away his phone and leaving the area to stay in a guest house in North Wales overnight. But he returned when police visited his parents' address to arrest him.

Det. Insp Adam Waller, who led the investigation into Mr Lovatt's death, said: "Adam's life was tragically cut short with just one punch. It's a stark reminder to people that that the decision to strike out at someone in anger could change lives instantly.

"Adam's family are grieving and trying to come to terms with life without a loved one and other families will have to come to terms with their loved ones having been convicted and facing the prospect of time behind bars – all because of one punch on a night out.

"Adam was callously left lying fatally injured in the road until a passing motorist summonsed professional medical help. Neither Thorpe or Hill made any attempts to look after anyone else but themselves in making their escape."

A trial originally took place in January 2020, but a verdict could not be reached and a retrial was held last October at Liverpool.