Two jailed for killing teenager who tried to stop attackers from stealing bike outside nightclub
Two men have each been jailed for four years for killing a teenager outside a nightclub over a Bank Holiday weekend.
At a hearing at Newcastle Crown Court on Friday, Leon Wildgoose, 23, and Dylan Ford, 25, pleaded guilty to the August 2021 manslaughter of Steven Thompson.
The 19-year-old had reportedly been trying to stop one of his attackers from stealing a bicycle when he was fatally attacked.
He was treated at the scene by paramedics and rushed to hospital, but suffered significant head injuries and died following cardiac arrest.
Mr Thompson’s mother told the court her family was ‘broken beyond repair’ after her son’s death.
Steven Thompson was 19 when he was murdered outside a South Shields nightclub in 2021
Leon Wildgoose (pictured left) and Dylan Ford (pictured right) pleaded guilty to manslaughter
She said, “Steven was a beautiful young man. He was gentle and a good person. He has never been involved in any trouble.
“The loss of Steven has broken our family. We were so close, but not anymore.’
Prosecutors said Mr Thompson was on the street outside Roxanne’s club on August 30, 2021 before the deadly attack.
Mr Thompson reportedly tried to stop Wildgoose from kicking a bicycle away, believing he was trying to steal it.
Ian Hall, Ford’s stepfather, had been to a nearby bar and was passing by when he learned that his stepson was involved in a dispute.
He headbutted the owner of the bicycle, who was not seriously injured.
Mr. Thompson was then knocked to the ground and attacked.
When he got up and crossed the road, he was chased by Wildgoose and Ford.
Wildgoose hit him on the head, knocking him unconscious.
This led to swelling, which deprived Mr. Thompson’s brain of oxygen and he died.
Ford’s stepfather Ian Hall, pictured, was found not guilty of the manslaughter of Mr Thompson
Ian Hall was found not guilty of the charge by a jury at Newcastle Crown Court in December.
However, the 42-year-old admitted to headbutting the other man present.
The judge sentenced Hall to 30 weeks probation for 18 months.
The judge told Wildgoose and Ford, “Steven Thompson had been out with his friends and ended the night at Roxannes nightclub.
“I heard what you did destroyed his family.
“No sentence can bring Steven Thompson back. No sentence can offer any consolation.’
At the hearing, Mr Thompson’s mother spoke about the impact of her son’s death on the family.
She said her son was someone who “enjoyed his job,” with a “broad circle of friends.”
She added that he rarely went out in the city center.
“It’s hard to explain how the incident affected my family and myself,” she said.
“Steven’s brother, David, witnessed what happened to Steven and now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder.
‘I can not sleep. When I sleep, I often wake up sobbing.
“I can’t function normally. I can’t cook, clean or eat.
“Since Steven’s death, we’ve had to go through his 20th and 21st birthdays and two Christmases without him.”
Image shows tribute to Mr Thompson outside Roxanne’s bar where he was killed in 2021
She said she was “locked up” in her own home ahead of the trial for fear of seeing the defendants in public, who were subject to bail conditions, and that the family should have more than endured the legal process. a year.
“It breaks my heart that my family is now broken beyond repair. I can’t see what the future holds for us.’
Following the attack, Mr. Thompson was taken to South Tyneside Hospital, arriving at 4:15 am.
Doctors continued with emergency care, but he was pronounced dead at 5:11 a.m.
A pathologist concluded that his death occurred as a result of blunt force, caused by an accelerated fall from a standing height due to a blow.
Adam Birkby, defending Wildgoose, said his client was terribly sorry for the pain inflicted on Mr. Thompson’s loved ones.
He told the court that Wildgoose was “deeply ashamed” of what had happened.
Graeme Dodds, Detective Chief Inspector of Northumbria Police, the senior investigating officer in the case, said after the sentencing: ‘Our thoughts remain with Steven’s family, I know how devastated they are and how much his loss continues to affect them.
“This has been a tragic and brutal case that unfortunately took the life of a 19-year-old man – I want to make it clear that there is no place for violence of any kind in our communities.
“The impact violence can have on families is heartbreaking and should never be the price anyone has to pay.”