POLICE have referred to the death of a 60-year-old man who was punched by a friend on Baldwin Street as a "tragedy for all those involved".

Terry Maguire, 56, of Woolton Road, Woolton, Liverpool pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was sentenced to four years at Liverpool Crown Court on Tuesday (February 5).

David Ryder, 60, died three days after being punched near the Pizza Chef takeaway on Baldwin Street at 12.30am on Saturday, December 2, 2017.

The court heard that Maguire and Mr Ryder had been part of a group of eight friends, who were members of a walking group, and had attended a gin festival at St Helens town hall earlier in the evening of Friday, December 1.

The group went to the A to B taxi rank on Baldwin Street to travel home, with four members initially obtaining a taxi, leaving four behind, including Maguire and Mr Ryder.

Maguire, who was described as "drunk", decided to go for some food and left the others in a queue, with a taxi arriving while he was away.

While waiting, the driver told the others if he didn't return "in the next minute or two", they would have to vacate the taxi.

Initially a woman member of the group went up to Maguire, who was heard to shout "he wanted some food" while she retorted that she "all she wanted to do was go home".

The court heard that Mr Ryder crossed the road intending to "calm the situation" adding there "was no suggestion of any aggression on his part".

Maguire delivered "a forceful blow" with the victim's "head heard to strike the road surface".

Passing sentence, judge Alan Conrad QC called it a "terribly sad case".

Responding to the sentencing, Detective Inspector Matt Smith said: “This was a tragedy for all those involved.

“Terry Maguire and David Ryder were good friends who had been out drinking together on the day the incident took place.

“Mr Ryder died after suffering a head injury following an assault which took place at a taxi rank.

“The effects of this assault will have had long suffering repercussions on the family of both Mr Ryder and Terry Maguire and I am sure the consequences of his actions will live with Maguire for the rest of his life.”