The family of Simon Beston, a 55-year-old grandfather from Sunderland, has spoken of their devastation after Ethan Cockram was jailed for his manslaughter. Cockram punched Mr Beston in the face during a night out in Newcastle City Centre, causing injuries that proved fatal.
Fatal attack in Newcastle City Centre
Newcastle Crown Court heard that Mr Beston and his partner were on a romantic night out on July 26 last year. They stopped to talk to a homeless couple on St Andrew's Street when Cockram and a group of young people, including Shayne Cook and Lola Charlton, walked past.
A fight broke out, and Mr Beston intervened to try to "calm the situation" before being struck by Cockram. The blow caused him to fall backwards and hit his head on the kerb. He was taken to hospital and underwent surgery for a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain, but died three weeks after the attack on August 16.
Sentences handed down
Cockram, now 21, of Durham Street, Wallsend, North Tyneside, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was jailed for four years and 10 months. Cook, 20, of Winifred Gardens, Wallsend, was jailed for 18 months, and Charlton, 20, of Fairhaven Avenue, Walker, Newcastle, was given a nine-month prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, after both pleaded guilty to affray.
The court heard that Mr Beston's cause of death was a blunt impact to the back of the head, causing the skull fracture and brain injury. The fracture to the jaw indicated that the force of Cockram's punch caused Mr Beston to fall and hit his head.
Family statements read in court
During the sentencing hearing on Thursday, Mr Beston's daughter, Chloe Beston, and mother, Mary Beston, read statements to the court. Chloe said: "I want the court to understand the impact it's had on my and my six-year-old daughter's lives. It's affected me in all aspects of my life - mentally, emotionally and psychologically."
She continued: "He [Mr Beston] was loving and caring and played a significant part in my life. His death left a huge void that no other person will ever be able to fill. I didn't lose him to old age or ill health, I lost him to some person's actions."
Chloe added: "As his family, I had to make the most difficult decision of my life, which was to turn the life support off for my own dad. Because I have experienced this, I now have flashbacks, I'm unable to sleep and I wake up most days feeling very sad and devastated."
Mary Beston described her "world falling apart" when she received the phone call while on holiday. She said: "I went straight to the hospital on my return and what I saw will stay with me for the rest of my life. My son was lying there with tubes and monitors and all I wanted to do was give him a hug."
Mr Beston's partner, Maxine Greenwood, also prepared a statement, read to the court by prosecutor Emma Dowling. Ms Greenwood said she has had to live with "survivor's guilt" and was forced to leave her home as she could no longer afford to live there on her own. She said: "I never slept in our bed again. I couldn't bring myself to return to our house."
Cockram was on bail at time of attack
The court heard that Cockram was on bail for attacking two strangers in Newcastle City Centre at the time he punched Mr Beston. That attack happened in April 2025, where he punched two men whilst on a night out. He caused a "significant wound" to one of the victims and was given a suspended sentence for wounding without intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in November last year.
