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Melbourne man sentenced to eight years over fatal one-punch attack

A young father has cried in court as he was jailed for at least five years for killing a 22-year-old man with one punch outside a Melbourne bar.

File
File image. Source: AAP

Richard Vincec, 26, was on Thursday sentenced to eight years in prison, with a minimum of five years, over the death of Jaiden Walker in May.

In the Victorian Supreme Court Vincec pleaded guilty to manslaughter over Mr Walker's death.

The victim died a week after Vincec punched him outside Cherry Bar Melbourne's iconic ACDC lane on May 6.

Vincec hit Mr Walker after one of his friends tried to hold Vincec back in a bear hug when he became angry with the younger man.

"You moved towards Jaiden, insisting that he shake your hand and you escalated the situation by saying 'shake me hand c***'," Justice Peter Riordan said.

One of Mr Walker's friends, a woman who had been kissing Vincec earlier that night, stood between them but Vincec still managed to strike Mr Walker.

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The punch caused him to fall to the ground, fracturing his skull.

Two passing doctors did their best to help Mr Walker as they waited for an ambulance.

He never regained consciousness and died in hospital on May 12.

Vincec ran away after the assault and denied what happened when arrested by police, but later made full admissions.

He contacted Mr Walker's friend on social media and said: "Sorry about your friend all I wanted is a hand shake, I've been charged and I explained everything so apologise for me sorry (sic)."

The woman replied "I can't apologise, because he's fighting for his life in intensive care".

Justice Riordan said Vincec rang police and the hospital every day to check on Mr Walker's condition until his death.

The judge said Vincec showed genuine remorse for his actions.

"You have written a letter to the deceased's family in which you accept full responsibility for what you have done, saying that you wish you could ask for forgiveness but that you will never forgive yourself," he said.


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