A thug has been jailed after killing a man by punching him in the face during an 'unprovoked and vicious' attack.
Michael Hannan attacked James O'Hara, 45, during an encounter on Gisburn Road, Barrowford, Lancashire, on October 19, 2021. Hannan Punched Mr O'Hara so hard that he caused fractures to his eye socket and nose.
The force of the punch also made him fall back and hit his head on the footpath, resulting in more fractures to his skull. After the attack, Mr O'Hara was rushed to hospital and treated for his injuries, eventually being released.
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Despite this, his condition soon deteriorated and he died due to acute bacterial meningitis which developed because of his head injuries. Mr O'Hara did not know his attacker and he was only walking past.
Following the assault, Hannan sent a photograph to friends of himself bare-chested, flexing his muscles while in other messages he bragged about what he had done. Hannah, of Tynwald Road, Blackburn, admitted to manslaughter on the first day of his trial at Preston Crown Court on Monday (April 24).
Today (April 27), he was sentenced to five years and four months. Detective Chief Inspector Mark Haworth-Oates, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “My thoughts today are first and foremost with the family and loved ones of James O’Hara.
"They have lost a family member and friend as a result of a needless, unprovoked and vicious assault. James O ‘Hara posed no threat whatsoever to Michael Hannan who punched him with such force that he inflicted the injuries that would sadly lead to his death.
"He then went on to disgracefully revel in what he had done and showed no remorse and only accepted his guilt on the day of his trial.”
In a statement, Mr O Hara’s family said: “Tuesday 19 October 2021 was the day that a single act of violence by Michael Hannan devastated the lives of our whole family. Today he was sentenced to five years in prison which gives us some sort of closure, but we will be forever broken hearted at the cruel and needless way we lost James.
“We would like to thank the police team for their tireless work over the past eighteen months in bringing this case to court. Thank you also to friends and family whose love and support have helped us through the darkest of days.
“One thing we can all hold on to is that Jay will never be forgotten because he left us all so much to remember. We will carry those memories in our hearts forever.”
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