A YOUTH who admitted to a "needless and vicious" attack which caused the death of much-loved poet Len Saunders has been sentenced to four years and four months.

Luke Woods, 17, of Union Street, St Helens pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was handed the sentence which he will serve in a youth offenders' institute. 

Len, a community volunteer who was a popular figure among the St Helens arts scene, died in hospital on Sunday, July 30 - nine days after he was attacked on Ward Street because he did not give a drunken yob a cigarette.

Len, 65, was knocked unconscious after the 17-year-old, who had also taken drugs, punched him in the face knocking him to the ground where his head hit the ground.

Liverpool Crown Court heard that Woods had earlier told his friend that he would ask someone for a cigarette and if they did not have one “I’ll hit him.”

Sentencing Woods, Judge Clement Goldstone, QC, the Recorder of Liverpool, said that he would have imposed a longer sentence if he could have.

He said: “Leonard Saunders was a 65-year-old man in the prime of his life. He was a shining yet very modest star with the local St Helens community to which he devoted his life.

"He contributed immeasurably to very many facets of community life.

“He was adored by and adoring of his family. He was a truly popular and much loved man whose passing leaves a huge void in the lives not only of his immediate family but of his wider, by which I mean the entire population of St Helens and those who were lucky enough to have crossed his path.

“You snuffed out his life and created untold sadness and grief to countless people.

“No sentence of this court can or will be seen as doing justice to the mindless violence which you perpetrated against Mr Saunders on the afternoon in question and no sentence of this court can bring him back."

The judge said Woods had not been so drunk as to be unaware that he had knocked out the victim, who had politely told him that he and his friend did not smoke, and then escaped from the scene.

He added: “You have none of the disadvantages and difficulties which beset so many young men who appear before this court.

"No sentence can right the dreadful wrong which you perpetrated and if the court had the power to impose upon you a longer sentence for that which you did it would do so.”

The attack happened while Mr Saunders had been walking home at about 6.40 pm from a project meeting in St Helens town centre with friend Gregory Taylor when they encountered Woods and a 15-year-old boy.

Peter Hussey, prosecuting, said it was a “case of gratuitous unprovoked violence on the street which was also fuelled by alcohol.

He described the attack as "a sudden blow, of what the Crown submits was significant force, into the face of Mr Saunders", adding "the boy described it as needless, and vicious".

Mr Hussey added that Mr Saunders' head landed with "a sound which Mr Taylor described as ‘horrific’ and ‘upsetting’ and the 15-year-old as ‘big, loud’ and ‘scary’." 

The court heard the 15-year-old described the assault as a swing with the right elbow, dropping his shoulder and striking an upwards blow to his chin.

He told police that the defendant had drunk most of a bottle of vodka and had been violently sick that afternoon and was staggering with his arm around the boy.

After the attack they went to College Street post office where Woods was pestering people for a cigarette.

Woods was arrested at home at about 1am the next morning after being awoken by his mum throwing water over his face as he lay in bed after officers arrived.

He was aggressive and angry, tried to run away and twice tried to head-butt an officer.

He was interviewed that afternoon by which time he had damaged his cell floor and when told he was also being arrested for criminal damage he punched the wall in anger and declined to answer questions.

He was re-arrested after Mr Saunders died and was described as “yawning and laughing” when shown CCTV footage. He gave a prepared statement in which he accepted responsibility for the attack.

Phil Astbury, defending, said that Woods, who has a conviction and a caution for criminal damage and another caution for having a bladed article, expressed “remorse and regret for his actions".

“He acted in haste and will have a great deal of time to reflect and repent at his leisure.

He never intended serious harm. It is an act of yobbery but a momentary lapse of control at a time when he was clearly affected by drink.

“He will have to live with this for the rest of his life. He is not a lost cause and has genuine insight and genuine remorse.”

In response to the setencing, Detective Inspector Louise Birchall said: "This was a completely unprovoked assault on a much older man who was simply out and about with his friend. 

"When they said that they didn’t smoke so couldn’t offer them a cigarette Mr Saunders was punched in the face. The punch has knocked him to the floor where he has hit his head and later died in hospital. 

"No sentence will ever bring Mr Saunders back but we hope that it will give his family a sense of closure and allow them to get on with their lives. 

"Hopefully it will also give Luke Woods the chance to reflect on his actions and the impact it has had not only on the family of Mr Saunders but also his own family and friends."