The first picture of a 17-year-old who killed a man outside an Ipswich takeaway has been released by police.
The teenager, who can now be named as Andrea Cristea following an application from this newspaper to lift reporting restrictions, was locked up yesterday for nearly four years.
Cristea killed 45-year-old Richard Day with a single punch to the neck outside Kebapizza, in St Matthew's Street, Ipswich.
He pleaded guilty to manslaughter and violent disorder a week before he and two other teenage boys were due to go on trial last August.
Mr Day, known to his family as Richie, was found laying on the ground just after midnight on Sunday, February 23, 2020.
Mr Day was pronounced dead at Addenbrooke's Hospital, in Cambridge, 36 hours later.
According to a pathologist, Mr Day died due to blunt force trauma from one fatal blow – a punch to the left side of the neck – which was followed by a kick and three successive fist blows, then a kick and another kick or stamp.
Cristea, of Freehold Road, Ipswich, who was 16 at the time of Mr Day's death, was sentenced to three years and 10 months in a young offenders' institution at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday.
Mr Day, a control engineer for UK Power Networks, had been on his way home after a day out with his brother Kris and friends, attending Ipswich Town’s home fixture with Oxford United, before drinking at the Cock and Pye pub .
He had then seen his two other brothers' band perform a gig with their band at Premier Pool Club.
Prosecutor Riel Karmy-Jones QC said Mr Day left the pool club at about 11pm and walked home "a little worse for wear" before encountering three youths in Westgate Street.
She said an altercation or confrontation ensued, resulting in Mr Day bumping into one of the boys before being "set upon" outside Kebabpizza.
Miss Karmy-Jones said the youths walked then away, but returned shortly afterwards and could be seen laughing on CCTV and kicking Mr Day's lifeless body.
Detective Inspector Karl Nightingale, senior investigating officer, said the consequences of the attack have caused "devastation beyond measure".
"Richard Day was a much loved and well-respected son, brother, family member, friend and colleague," he said.
"Richie had enjoyed a sociable day with family and friends on Saturday, February 22, 2020. He left the Premier Pool Club late that night intending to walk home through the town centre.
"He had walked a considerable distance, bought food and passed numerous people without issue, until he encountered three teenagers. Tragically, Richie was assaulted and inflicted with an injury that he could never recover from.
"This sentence will provide a stage of closure for Richie’s family, friends and colleagues. I would like to thank his family who have shown tremendous courage, dignity and humility throughout.
"The consequences of this attack have caused devastation beyond measure.”
Jurors in the trial of the other two boys – both now 17 – were discharged from further deliberations when they found each not guilty of manslaughter but failed to reach a majority verdict in respect of a second charge of violent disorder.
The older of the two boys, a 17-year-old, who accepted kicking Mr Day during the incident, then admitted violent disorder at a subsequent hearing.
He was later sentenced to a 10-month youth rehabilitation order, including 40 hours of unpaid work and a three-month curfew, for punching and kicking a fatally injured Mr Day as he lay unconscious on the ground.
The other boy faces a retrial for violent disorder in August.
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