Preston man detained for Army veteran's one-punch death

Mohammed Al Aaraj initially pleaded not guilty to manslaughter

A man who caused the death of an 86-year-old Army veteran with a single punch has been detained.

Frank Fishwick was attacked after he confronted a group of youths who had congregated outside his flat in Fulwood, Preston, on 10 September.

He initially refused an ambulance but died in hospital the next day as a result of internal bleeding.

Mohammed Al Aaraj, 19, was sentenced at Preston Crown Court to four years in a young offenders institution.

Mr Fishwick, a former Royal Engineer, was at home in The Paddock when he was disturbed by a group of young people at about 15:00 BST.

Francis McEntee, prosecuting, said Mr Fishwick, who he called a "feisty older man", confronted the group, first through his window and then by going out to them.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said the veteran became frustrated with the situation and directed racially offensive language at one of the teenagers.

Former Royal Engineer Frank Fishwick was an "adored" grandfather and father, his family says

Syrian refugee Al Aaraj, of Sheffield Drive in Preston, then punched Mr Fishwick in the face and fractured his nose.

In police body-worn camera footage shown to the court, Mr Fishwick was seen in his flat, holding his bloody nose and telling an officer he asked the group to move but they had refused.

Mr Fishwick told police officers he did not want medical attention but his nose continued to bleed and he was admitted to hospital later that day.

A post-mortem examination found the cause of his death was internal bleeding.

Sentencing Al Aaraj, Judge Robert Altham said: "The comments made by Mr Fishwick do form part of the background in this case, however even the making of those comments cannot begin to excuse the defendant, a young man, punching an 86-year-old man in the face."

'Extremely tragic'

Al Aaraj was charged with manslaughter, which he initially denied.

The CPS said he changed his plea to guilty after officers produced CCTV evidence and Mr Fishwick's account from a police officer.

Senior Crown Prosecutor Paul Robinson described it as an "extremely tragic case".

"Frank was frustrated and used inappropriate language that cannot be condoned, but Al Aaraj and his friends could have simply walked away, and they chose not to," he said.

Mr Robinson said his death had been "devastating" for his daughter, who had not seen her father for a long time due to the pandemic.

In a statement, Mr Fishwick's daughter, Judith Taylor Fishwick, who lives in America, said her relatives' lives were "turned upside down" by the attack.

Her father was taken from his loved ones by a "cruel act of violence", she added.

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