A young man who dreamed of saving lives had his bright future stolen from him by a thug with shocking past.
Aspiring firefighter Duncan Browne had gone into Liverpool city centre to watch England play Ukraine in the quarter-finals of Euro 2020 with his mates.
But just hours after celebrating the win, the 23-year-old was brutally killed by a 'career criminal' at a taxi rank.
The man who landed the fatal punch, Michael McLoughlin, had already been locked up for an armed robbery by the time he was Duncan's age.
He left Duncan to die before heading to a party with his accomplice, Terrence Kerwin, who threw the first punch.
Convicted heroin dealer Kerwin then fled the country to avoid the consequences, the Echo reports.
'Respectful, clever and talented' Duncan was described as a 'smashing young man' who had his whole life ahead of him.
The needless attack by McLoughlin and Kerwin, over nothing more than who could get a taxi home first, caused heartbreak.
Duncan, from Kirkby, was described as a 'mad Everton fan', whose dad Colin named him after Blues legend Duncan Ferguson.
At 21, the former All Saints Catholic High School pupil had graduated from Edge Hill University with a degree in sports science.
In comparison, all the man who took his life had achieved at that age was being locked up for a terrifying armed robbery, the details of which can now be laid bare.
McLoughlin, 36, and Kerwin, 34, both denied charges of murder and were set to stand trial at Liverpool Crown Court this week.
But prosecutors accepted McLoughlin's plea to manslaughter and Kerwin's plea to assault causing actual bodily harm - to the dismay of Duncan's grieving and angry family.
Their fury was only compounded when McLoughlin was jailed for nine years and four months, and Kerwin was handed a 10-month prison sentence, which, due to time served, meant his immediate release.
The family heard how Duncan's killer McLoughlin had amassed 16 previous convictions for 31 offences in total, dating back to when he was a teenager.
John Benson, QC, prosecuting, said a 'significant' amount of these were for driving offences, but his record also featured 'a considerable number of convictions for dishonesty', including multiple commercial burglaries.
Aged 19, McLoughlin was locked up for 10 months in April 2004 for two burglaries of non-dwellings.
Later that month he was hit with more time behind bars for yet another burglary and dangerous driving.
He avoided prison sentences when convicted of burglary and theft both in January 2005 and January 2006.
The yob also walked free from court in March 2006, for possessing an offensive weapon in public - a knife.
But in December 2006, the then 21-year-old was jailed for a knifepoint robbery.
McLoughlin was connected to a gang of hooded raiders who targeted bookmakers' shops in Merseyside and Cheshire.
On September 25 that year, McLoughlin and an accomplice - who had hit three of the bookies - lay in wait for a Securicor van at a petrol station in Aigburth.
Prosecutors said the security guard was delivering £44,000 in cash when the two thugs struck.
A violent struggle took place as the robbers tried to get the box out of his hands and the guard noticed one of them had a six-inch knife, before the crooks escaped with the cash.
Judge Henry Globe, QC, said all of the robberies had caused 'extreme distress and terror' to the victims.
McLoughlin, then of Livingston Drive, Aigburth, admitted robbery and was jailed for five and a half years.
After he was released from that sentence, the dad-of-one stayed out of serious trouble for a decade.
But in May 2019, he was jailed for two years and eight months for conspiracy to steal at Worcester Crown Court.
Mr Benson said: "He was the driver of a car, used by others, who having entered jewellery premises ran off with the rings they had asked to look at, jumping into the car and escaping with the rings, of some significant value."
McLoughlin was released halfway through that sentence.
That meant he was still on licence when he killed Duncan, in the early hours of Sunday, July 4 last year.
Duncan had gone into Liverpool city centre with friends to enjoy England's Euro 2020 quarter final win over Ukraine on the Saturday evening.
As his devastated grandad John Browne put it, he 'went out to watch a football match that night and he never came home'.
Duncan became separated from his mates when he headed to a taxi rank on Hanover Street, at around 3.30am.
When a cab arrived, a witness heard one of McLoughlin's drunken group shout: "Get out of the way lad."
The court heard Kerwin, of no fixed address, struck an initial unprovoked blow to Duncan, off camera.
CCTV then showed McLoughlin, of Torus Road, Old Swan, deliver a 'very hard punch' to Duncan's head, followed by a second blow in quick succession.
As their victim lay unconscious in the road having suffered fatal injuries, McLoughlin and Kerwin jumped in the taxi and carried on with their night.
Duncan died in hospital, surrounded by his loving family, on Monday, July 5.
Prosecutors said his attackers probably learned about his death that day, due to the extensive press coverage.
Duncan's grandad even gave a heartbreaking press conference, calling on the people of this 'lovely city' to help find his attackers.
But McLoughlin didn't hand himself into police until a week later, when he told officers: "Alls I can say is I'm sorry, deeply sorry."
When Kerwin heard Duncan had died, he fled the country, boarding a ferry to Belfast on July 5, and then travelling on to Dublin.
Police rang his mobile phone on July 16, when he told them he didn't have any money and asked for their help to fund his trip back to Liverpool.
On his return, he gave a no comment interview.
Kerwin had 20 convictions for 44 offences, including 'dishonesty', dating back to when he was a youth.
He didn't have any convictions for violence, but was previously sentenced for supplying heroin and cocaine.
Kerwin was last convicted of possessing cannabis and amphetamine in August 2020.
At their sentencing, both attackers expressed remorse, with McLoughlin stating in a letter: "I'm truly sorry from the bottom of my heart."
They bowed their heads in shame when addressed by Duncan's grandfather, as the 72-year-old labelled them both 'cowards' in a powerful victim statement.
Nigel Power, QC, defending McLoughlin, told the court his client had shared custody of a five-year-old daughter and references spoke of him being 'ordinarily kind, thoughtful and caring'.
However, Judge David Aubrey, QC, said McLoughlin's previous convictions 'don't really suggest kind and caring'.
The difference in character between the men sitting in the dock and their innocent victim couldn't have been more stark.
Duncan had dreamed of saving lives through joining the fire brigade.
Even though his future was taken from him by McLoughlin, he was still able to achieve his ambition of helping others.
As his grandad previously told the Echo: "He donated his organs. Even though it was very traumatic for the family, it was the right thing to do.
"We have been told now two kids have shared his liver and two adults had a kidney each, so he saved four lives. He is a hero."
