Henry Ayabowei death: 'Attacker wanted to bang somebody out'

Henry Esin died in Bangor city centre in April

An attacker who punched a father outside a Bangor nightclub said he wanted to "bang somebody out" beforehand, a court has heard.

Esinkumo Ayabowei, also known as Henry Esin, was found unresponsive outside a nightclub near Dean Street on 2 April.

The 27-year-old, from Llangefni, Anglesey, never regained consciousness, Caernarfon crown court heard.

Kieron Roberts, 26, of Bangor, has pleaded guilty to manslaughter, with his sentencing beginning on Monday.

The court heard how Roberts, who was jailed for five years in 2013 for firearms offences but had been released on licence in 2015, had allegedly claimed he was going to "bang somebody out tonight".

Paul Lewis QC, prosecuting, said Mr Ayabowei had left the nightclub when Roberts hit him in the face "without any apparent warning or provocation" and his head struck the pavement.

'Avoidable'

In a victim impact statement read out in the court on Monday, Mr Ayabowei's widow Melicia Gerrard said she had been "robbed of the love of her life".

She said his five-year-old daughter had been taken to the hospital in Stoke-on-Trent before a life-support machine was switched off, and skipped down the corridor unaware she would never see her dad again.

"It broke my heart because I knew what she was about to find out," Ms Gerrard said.

"Henry's death could have been avoided".

Roberts is expected to be sentenced for manslaughter on Wednesday.