A man has been jailed for six years for killing his father just minutes after meeting him for the first time during a pub trip on Christmas Eve. Martin Greensmith, 37, of Crook, Co. Durham, was found guilty of manslaughter following a trial at Teesside Crown Court.
Greensmith knew his father's name but had never met Steven Shevels, 61, until a chance encounter at the Queen's Head pub in Willington, Co. Durham, last Christmas Eve. The Greensmith family had gone to the pub to see in the festive season, and Mr Shevels was also there.
Chance Meeting Turns Fatal
The court heard that Greensmith's mother identified Mr Shevels and told her son: "He's your father." Greensmith did not want to talk to his father, feeling anger and resentment. Mr Shevels sat near the family and tried to talk to them, prompting Greensmith to go outside to get away.
A few minutes later, Mr Shevels also went out into the beer garden after being asked to leave the pub. Greensmith told jurors he went to walk past Mr Shevels, but the victim put his arm out to block him. The pair exchanged a few short sentences, culminating with Greensmith saying: "You're my dad, but I don't want to know you."
Mr Shevels moved closer, and Greensmith said he "gently" pushed the victim back to create space. Greensmith said he was stunned to see Mr Shevels fall and was among those who tried to help him as he lay unconscious. Despite efforts from those in the pub, including Greensmith's mother and paramedics, Mr Shevels was pronounced dead at the scene about an hour later.
Judge Rejects Self-Defence Claim
Sentencing Greensmith, Judge Jonathan Carroll said an earlier conviction for being drunk and disorderly showed his "capacity for self control diminishes in drink." The judge said CCTV footage showed Greensmith was "immediately angry and aggressive" and that he "delivered a powerful and aggressive push to his upper body," causing Mr Shevels to fall backwards and hit his head on the concrete floor with such force the impact could be heard inside the pub.
Judge Carroll said he agreed with the jury's decision to reject Greensmith's claim of a "gentle push in self defence." The defendant, who said he was "very remorseful" and wanted to apologise to the victim's family, told jurors he did "not really care" about learning Mr Shevels was his father, calling him a "stranger."
Family Statements and Remorse
Greensmith said: "He was never present in my life. In 36 years he's never made an attempt to do anything. I didn't want to know him." His barrister, Paul Rooney, said Greensmith is "genuinely remorseful and acknowledges the seriousness and consequences of his actions" on his father's family.
Mr Rooney added: "This was the first and only time the defendant met his biological father who was drunk and unpleasant to him and his family. The risk of any repeat of his behaviour is low given those particular circumstances can never regrettably occur again." A pre-sentence probation report found Greensmith may have felt "overwhelmed" by the discovery.
In a statement, Mr Shevels' daughter Chloe Shevels said she found out about her father's death "through gossip while I was opening my presents on Christmas Day." She described him as a nature lover who enjoyed the countryside, rock music and playing guitar, but who had suffered significant mental health issues. His sister Angela Thompson said: "Steven was the victim of an unprovoked, selfish act of violence which took his life and took him from us far too soon." The court heard Mr Shevels was well known in local pubs and could be a nuisance when drunk, but was not prone to violence.
