A former jockey has been sentenced to three years in prison for the manslaughter of a 71-year-old pensioner whom he punched outside a pub, causing him to fall and fatally strike his head. Levi Williams, 27, was handed the sentence on Thursday at Peterborough Crown Court.
The Incident
Richard Wingrove died in hospital ten days after the altercation in Newmarket, Suffolk, on March 8, 2025. He sustained a skull fracture and bleeding on the brain, initially placed in an induced coma. The court heard that Mr Wingrove, who walked with a stick, and his son Jamie Wingrove had been drinking in pubs before being ejected from the Waggon and Horses due to disorderly and abusive behaviour towards staff.
Court Proceedings
Prosecutor Jane Oldfield explained that Williams and his friend, both jockeys, were present during altercations between the Wingroves and pub staff. CCTV footage showed the jockeys attempting to block Jamie Wingrove from re-entering the pub after a physical altercation with the publican.
When Williams and his friend later left the pub, a verbal exchange ensued. Williams was seen throwing a punch at Jamie Wingrove, then at Richard Wingrove. The older man fell but got back up and rejoined the fray. The altercation continued, and Williams suddenly punched Richard Wingrove to the head, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement for a second, fatal time.
Sentencing Remarks
Judge Sean Enright told Williams that he could have just trotted away from the altercation. The judge acknowledged that Williams was not the aggressor at the start and that initial blows could be classed as self-defence. However, he added: The last punch can’t be so justified. You were in drink, you had taken cocaine, you hit a vulnerable man to the head.
Upon arrest, Williams, now of Trefonen, Oswestry, Shropshire, was described as drunk, shaken, and said it was an accident. He also tested positive for cocaine. In interview, he claimed he had consumed two to three pints of beer and felt threatened, with punches being thrown both ways.
Victim Impact
In her victim impact statement, Mr Wingrove’s daughter, Louisa Reah, highlighted her father’s poor eyesight and reliance on a walking stick. She added that her younger daughter was pregnant at the time, and the child would have been my father’s first great grandchild.
Mitigating, William England said Williams had never been involved in any violence of any sort in the past.
Detective Constable Hannah Barrett, speaking outside court, described Richard Wingrove’s death as a completely avoidable act of violence that occurred while he was celebrating his birthday, causing devastation for so many people.
