Man jailed for killing 'loving dad' in his home

Thomas Iverson was jailed for 9 years for killing Craig Richardson

A man has been jailed for nine years for the manslaughter of a 37-year-old father from Wrexham.

Thomas Iveson, 30, of Burton, near Wrexham, denied murdering Craig Richardson at his home in the Plas Madoc area of Acrefair on 23 February.

He was cleared of murder on 7 November, but a jury at Mold Crown Court unanimously found Iveson guilty of manslaughter following a nine-day trial.

Mr Richardson was found dead with "catastrophic injuries" after both men had gone to his flat in the early hours of the morning.

The court heard that Mr Richardson had been taking large amounts of cocaine and was behaving erratically and exhibiting paranoia.

He headbutted Thomas Iveson "seemingly out of the blue" prompting Iveson to deliver two forceful punches that led to Mr Richardson being knocked unconscious and choking on his own blood, the court heard.

Later that morning, Mr Richardson was found dead by friends having sustained multiple catastrophic injuries.

Iveson argued he had acted in self-defence after Mr Richardson attacked him.

In a victim personal statement read out to the court Brian Richardson, Craig's father, said the "life of our family changed forever" following the incident.

"No words can describe the pain we feel as a family.

"The events of that day left us totally heartbroken. We keep expecting him to walk into our house with that big grin on his face."

He described the experience of seeing his son in the mortuary as something he "wouldn't wish on my worst enemy".

"Craig had the biggest heart and would help anybody and see the good in anybody," he added.

"We held him, kissed him and promised him that no-one would ever hurt him again with their words or actions."

Craig Richardson was described by his family as a "loving son" who was "full of fun"

Mr Richardson described the trial as "traumatic" and said that at times it felt as if his son was being blamed for the attack.

He said: "Craig will never get to see his little boy grow up. We worry about how it will affect him.

"We will not see Craig again, not because of illness but because of the unspeakable violence of another person.

"One day we will remember kissing and holding him on the day he was born and not that day in a mortuary."

Mrs Justice Eady sentenced Iverson to nine years in prison with a further four years on licence.

The judge said his response was "out of all proportion to the threat received".

"I am certain you were aware you were leaving Craig Richardson very seriously injured and in need of urgent medical attention," she added.

The judge told him he ought to have been aware that Mr Richardson had a propensity for excessive violence particularly "when in drink".