A night out that began with drinks and laughter ended in tragedy after a petty dispute over a portion of chicken wings turned fatal. Liam Slack, 34, has been jailed for killing his friend, 57-year-old retired Regimental Sergeant Major Paul Ainscough, during a drunken altercation at a pub in Leyland.
A Fatal Night at The Stag
The incident occurred on 22 June last year at The Stag pub in Leyland. Paul Ainscough, who had served with the Queen's Lancashire Regiment for 24 years before a subsequent career with Lancashire Police, had bought two £5.49 portions of chilli chicken wings, one for himself and one for his companion, Liam Slack.
After quickly eating his own meal, Slack greedily reached over to take food from Mr Ainscough's plate without asking. This sparked an argument between the two men. The disagreement escalated when Slack threw Mr Ainscough's rucksack. As the retired sergeant major was distracted, Slack pushed him with significant force, sending him 'flying clean over'.
The Tragic Aftermath of the Assault
Mr Ainscough fell backwards into a solid wooden fence, accidentally knocked over a table, and finally landed on a stone step. Although he managed to get back to his feet and dust himself down, he appeared deeply embarrassed by the public scuffle. Slack promptly left the pub, later telling two women in a taxi that he 'shouldn't have done it'.
Unaware of the severity of his injuries, Mr Ainscough returned home and spoke to his partner about the argument. He was found dead on his sofa two days later, on the following Monday. A post-mortem examination revealed he had suffered three broken ribs and died from internal bleeding.
Justice Served at Preston Crown Court
Liam Slack admitted manslaughter during proceedings at Preston Crown Court. He was sentenced to four years and two months in prison. In a victim impact statement, Mr Ainscough's son, Mark, addressed Slack directly, stating his father had faced numerous dangers in the army and police, but nothing like the 'despicable' attack when he was off-guard and vulnerable.
Sentencing Slack, Judge Robert Altham described Mr Ainscough as a 'kind, generous and thoughtful man' with a proud past. He noted that Slack's drunken state was an aggravating factor, stating: 'What a proud and precious life to have been taken by such a thoughtless act of violence.'
Following the case, Detective Inspector Marc Armstrong of Lancashire Police extended his thoughts to Mr Ainscough's family, acknowledging their ongoing trauma. The court also heard that Slack had called to apologise after the fight, but Mr Ainscough had retorted, detailing his injuries and labelling Slack's actions as unacceptable.
