Two men have been given jail sentences for attacking a teenager on a night out who later died from his injuries in Ilkeston.
Liam Derrett was enjoying an evening out with friends when he was assaulted in the Market Place in the early hours of Sunday 1 June. The 19-year-old, from Kirk Hallam, died in hospital from his injuries two days later.
Prior to the incident that led to Liam’s death, two groups of young men, who had been embroiled in a dispute, had got into a fight inside the Market Inn pub.
Police said that violence spilled out into the street, and a number of men were involved in altercations outside the venue.
Witnesses said Liam was not involved and acted as a peacekeeper, trying to stop the disorder and urging those involved to calm down.
CCTV captured the incident unfolding and showed how Liam was first approached and hit twice by Kai Donachie.
The attack did not cause any physical injuries but caused Liam to stumble backwards in a daze.
He was then hit by Joshua Harris, causing him to fall to the floor and hit his head.
The teenager was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham in a critical condition and died from his injuries on Tuesday 3 June.
Donachie and Harris were previously arrested and charged with murder. However, both submitted guilty pleas to new charges that were accepted by the prosecution.
Harris (24), of Little Hallam Lane, Ilkeston, admitted manslaughter, and Donachie (24), of Bilborough Road, Nottingham, admitted affray.
The court heard that both men had expressed remorse for what had happened.
During a sentencing hearing at Derby Crown Court on Tuesday 3 February, Harris was jailed for six years.
Donachie was given a four-month prison sentence, but because he has already served more than that on remand, it means he will not have to serve that time behind bars.
A victim impact statement, read out on behalf of Liam’s family in court, said in part:
“As a family, we then had to cope with the death of our beloved son and brother. We had to try to move forward, but that was an impossible task.
Knowing from that day forward we would never see him ever again was truly crushing.”
In a statement issued after the hearing, the family said:
“Liam was a kind, caring, selfless, funny and loveable character, an amazing brother and son. He always brought positive energy to any situation.
“He would always offer help to anyone who needed it, and this sadly led to his death. Life for his family and friends will never be the same.
“We have lost our ray of sunshine; words cannot describe how much we love and miss him.”
Detective Chief Inspector Viki Ellis, who led the investigation, said:
“Liam was everything to his family and friends, and his death has had a profound impact on all who knew him.
“I cannot even begin to imagine the hurt and pain his family has had to endure over the last several months.
“This was an unprovoked act of violence committed by Donachie and Harris, and they will have to live with the consequences of their actions for the rest of their lives.
“No sentence can ever bring Liam back, and the pain of losing him so suddenly and violently will remain with his family.
“I would like to commend Liam’s family for the dignified way in which they have conducted themselves whilst dealing with these deeply challenging months.
“My thoughts, and those of the investigation team, will continue to remain with them as they grieve for Liam.
“Alongside Liam’s family, I would like to commend members of the community for their co-operation in helping us to bring Donachie and Harris to justice.
“I also want to thank the investigation team for their dedication and commitment throughout this case.”
