AN AMATEUR boxer who killed his friend with a single punch has been jailed.

Roofer Jason James, of Charles Road in Kingskerswell near Newton Abbot, Devon, said he gave Mr Coxon "just a clip" to the head at the Sandford Holiday Park on March 5 this year.

But the force of the blow caused the victim, 36, to fall to the ground and hit his head on the tarmac.

Mr Coxon was rendered unconscious by the blow, but James left him lying on the ground before leaving the scene.

The defendant, 41, admitted manslaughter at Winchester Crown Court in March.

He returned to the court on the morning of Friday, April 8, for sentence.

A judge heard that the two men had been out drinking with other members of the Cider Commandos of Newton Abbot Scooter Club until 2am on the second night of a scooter rally before the incident took place.

Both the defendant and his victim had gone into the bushes to urinate when James "felt something warm" against his leg and lashed out, felling Mr Coxon.

Friends from the club spotted the victim lying unconscious on the ground, quickly putting him in the recovery position.

Dorset Police and South Western Ambulance Service paramedics rushed to the Holton Heath park, but they were unable to save him.

James was arrested at 6.57am on the same day, when he approached an officer manning a cordon to ask after Mr Coxon.

He told the officer he had punched the victim, knocking him out.

The following day, James was charged.

Tim Shorter, mitigating, said James had been left "devastated" by Mr Coxon's death.

"It's absolutely clear that this group of men were having a cracking day," he said.

"It involved quite a lot of drinking. At no stage was there the slightest hint of difficulty or animosity.

"That it ended in the way it did is unreservedly acknowledged as a tragedy.

"[James] is going to have to live with the fact he caused the death of his friend for the rest of his life."

James was sentenced to four years in prison by Judge Keith Cutler CBE, who said he felt the defendant had shown "clear and proper remorse" and understood his responsibility for Mr Coxon's death.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Mark Samuel, of Dorset Police’s Major Crime Team, said: “What should have been a happy weekend with friends ended tragically.

“All so often Dorset Police investigates avoidable acts of mindless violence and if James had paused to consider the consequences of his actions, David would still be alive today.

“The thoughts of David’s family written by his brother Jonnny speak for themselves. David was a well-liked friend and member of the scooter community. It is a tragic waste of life and our thoughts are with his family at this very difficult time.”

In a family statement, David’s brother Jonny said: “We wonder what kind of message is sent out by today’s sentence, about the consequences of abandoning self-control and unleashing a fatal knockout punch to the head of another person.

“We have recently been made aware of an interesting movement, headed by a world champion boxer, known very appropriately as the Coward’s Punch campaign.

“The message that it looks to drive home is the devastating damage that can be wrought by lashing out in this way, and pressure has been applied to change attitudes to sentencing to reflect a suitable deterrent.

“We can see very few circumstances where there would be sufficient provocation to justify this kind of cowardly attack.

“I cannot see how a short man reaching up to punch the head of a six feet five inch man could ever be described as an accident.

"I understand that one of the disciplines taught to boxers is to keep your fighting within the ring, and to be aware of the great harm that can be done without boxing gloves and without a padded canvas beneath you.

“Sadly, this failed boxer did not understand or agree with that and instead returned once again to the form of his previous convictions for assault.

“That David was killed by this man – someone he seemed to trust – will be a horrific tragedy that will cause us unbearable pain long after he is released from prison.”