South Shields mother warns of 'one-punch' consequences

Maxine Thompson-Curl and her husband Anthony launched the campaign with Durham Police Assistant Chief Constable Tonya Antonis

The mother of a young man killed on a night out is trying to raise awareness of the potentially fatal consequences of a single punch.

Maxine Thompson-Curl's Punched Out Cold campaign urges festive revellers to "stop, think and walk away".

Her son Kristian Thompson died in 2011 after being punched in the head during a night out in Consett, on his 19th birthday.

Ms Thompson-Curl said a single blow could cause "devastation".

It can have a "ripple effect", she said.

"The fist at the end of your arm is readily available and you have to think about what you're doing as that one decision could ruin a lot of lives."

'Take some responsibility'

Mrs Thompson-Curl, from South Shields, is calling for pubs and bars to watch out for those drinking too much, which police say is a contributing factor to many one-punch assaults.

"The lad who killed Kristian had been out on the drink all day," she said.

"It's about getting people to know their limits but also have those selling the alcohol to take some responsibility."

With their campaign now in its ninth year, Mrs Thompson-Curl and her husband Anthony Curl have spoken to 56,000 young people to try to educate them about the potential impact of their actions.

They also help parents of young people who have been left with brain damage after being punched.

Durham Police Assistant Chief Constable Tonya said one-punch crime "can have a massive impact not just on the victim but also the perpetrator too and their family and friends".

She said: "We want people to enjoy themselves but also think about their actions."