Family hit out at manslaughter sentence

The family of a 17-year-old boy who died after he was punched by another teenager outside a pizza shop in North Yorkshire have said it is “incomprehensible” that his attacker will serve only three years in prison while they will spend the rest of their lives trying to come to terms with his death.

North Yorkshire Police confirmed Thomas Watson, 17, of Woodhouse Road, Guisborough, was jailed at Leeds Crown Court on Friday after admitting the manslaughter of Daniel Crowther.

Officers said Daniel was enjoying a night out with friends in Stokesley when he was subjected to an unprovoked attack by Watson in the early hours of Saturday May 14.

Watson was the passenger in a car which pulled up alongside Daniel outside College Pizzas in College Square. As another passenger was talking to the teenager, the defendant got out of the car and punched him once to the side of the head.

Daniel, who was an only child and a student at Stokesley School, sustained serious injuries from the blow and was rushed to James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, but died later.

In a statement issued through police, his family said: “It is incomprehensible that the person responsible for Daniel’s manslaughter will be free in a relatively short period of time while we have to spend the rest of our lives trying to come to terms with Daniel’s death.

“When Daniel was violently and tragically taken from us, our lives were changed forever. We miss him greatly and find it unbelievable that he is no longer with us.

“We will never forget him and the pleasure he brought to us during his short but happy life.”

Detective Superintendent Lewis Raw, who led the investigation, said: “No sentence could ever reflect the suffering that Daniel’s family have had to endure as they try and come to terms with his death.

“At the very least, I hope that the outcome at court will provide a small measure of comfort and they begin to rebuild their lives.”