Paul Mason: Man jailed for drunkenly killing respected banker

Paul Mason was attacked shortly after leaving The Ivy Club in December 2020

An electrician has been jailed for drunkenly attacking and killing a respected international banker after he left The Ivy Club in London's West End.

Paul Mason, 52, of Qatar National Bank, suffered serious head injuries and died six months later in June 2021.

Steven Allan, 34, from Hook, Hampshire, mistakenly believed Mr Mason had stolen a mobile phone.

At the Old Bailey, he was jailed for for three years and nine months after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

Allan was cleared of the more serious offence of murder, following a trial.

Passing sentence, Judge Michael Topolski KC said the circumstances that led to Mr Mason's death were "as extraordinary as they are tragic".

He added: "The sudden and exceptional nature of the circumstances that led to his death have, I am sure, significantly exacerbated the family's feelings of disbelief, distress and anger at the nature of his passing."

In mitigation, Steven Allan's barrister William Boyce KC said the killer's "remorse" for what happened had affected every aspect of his life

The judge acknowledged the defendant's admission his actions were born from "unsupportable nonsense".

Jurors heard the incident took just 12 seconds and was captured on CCTV footage.

The Old Bailey previously heard Mr Mason did not react with any violence or aggression and had attempted to "turn the other cheek" and walk away when approached by Allan.

When Allan delivered an upper cut, Mr Mason was "poleaxed", the court heard, flew backwards and landed on his back with his head hitting the pavement.

Mr Mason's family blamed Allan for a double tragedy, as they told how his vulnerable brother took an overdose three months after his death.

Reading her victim impact statement in court, Mr Mason's sister, Rachel Mason, said: "You, Steven Allan, violently attacked and killed my brother and have left me heartbroken and devastated.

"A feeling of melancholy will continue for the rest of my life as I have to live without Paul.

"You have broken my family forever."

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