Home / Crime and Justice / Man's death seven years after attack; attacker gets 15 months
Man's death seven years after attack; attacker gets 15 months
12 Apr
Summary
- A single punch attack in 2015 left Simon Hackett unable to talk or walk.
- He died seven years later in 2022 after contracting pneumonia.
- The attacker received an additional 15 months for manslaughter.
A tragic single-punch attack in September 2015 has led to a manslaughter conviction years later. Simon Hackett was walking home when he was struck, causing severe head injuries and brain damage. He spent over a week in a medically-induced coma and required surgery, ultimately losing his ability to speak or walk.
Simon spent the following seven years in hospitals and care homes, his condition deteriorating. He passed away in the spring of 2022 after contracting bronchitis and pneumonia. His attacker, Jordan Docherty, who was 20 at the time of the assault, had previously pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm in 2016 and served 18 months of a four-year sentence.
Following Simon's death, Docherty was charged with manslaughter. This month, he was sentenced to an additional 15 months imprisonment for his unlawful violence that led to Simon's death. Simon's sister, Alicia Manners, stated that the sentence of 15 months offers no justice for the seven years of suffering her family endured.
Alicia is now dedicated to raising awareness about violence by giving talks in schools, sharing her brother's story to encourage young people to consider the consequences of their actions.
