IPSWICH: Shattered Jordan Folkes begged a judge for mercy over the death of his father before being sentenced to three years inside.

The 20-year-old killed Dennis Folkes with a ferocious punch which an eye-witness claimed was “deliberate” and used “100 per cent of his power”.

But Ipswich Crown Court heard how Jordan had been left “genuinely remorseful” after his father’s death in May.

Judge John Devaux read a handwritten note from Jordan, which said: “Please believe me, this was a tragic accident. I would never harm my dad. I loved him and I still do.”

On the night of April 12, Jordan was at the home of Dennis’ fiancee Shezaha Zivkovic, 46, with his father and other family members.

But as the evening progressed a dispute broke out and Jordan and his father became involved in an argument in the kitchen of the Sallows Close property.

In police interviews following the incident, Ms Zivkovic gave a first-hand account of what happened.

She said: “Dennis told Jordan that he wanted him to leave and to go to his flat and get his stuff.

“He said that he no longer wanted Jordan living with him because of all the trouble he had been causing.

“Jordan was staring straight at Dennis like he was trying to intimidate him and Dennis noticed this and said to Jordan ‘I am not scared of you’. At this point, Jordan pulled his fist back and punched Dennis straight into the face. I would describe the punch as being completely deliberate and Jordan looked like he used 100 per cent of his power.”

The force of the punch caused Dennis to fall back and hit the floor with a thud. Jordan then left the house while his father was on the floor with a fist-sized lump on the back of his head and blood coming out of his ear and mouth.

Jordan, of Sloeberry Road, Ipswich, was initially arrested on suspicion of actual bodily harm and released on bail two days after the incident.

His father was taken to Ipswich Hospital and treated for his wounds, but he was discharged the following morning. However, his condition deteriorated and on April 15 he was re-admitted to hospital and transferred to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridgeshire. On May 6, he died due to internal head injuries.

Jordan was then charged by police with manslaughter to which he pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

In police interviews, Jordan admitted that he had hit his father with “everything that I had”.

Representing Jordan, Martyn Levett said: “The defendant is a decent boy. He is big and regarded as a gentle giant and nobody seems to say anything bad about him.”

Sentencing him to three years in a young offenders’ institution, Judge John Devaux, who heard that Jordan had no previous convictions, said he appreciated that he was “genuinely remorseful”.

He added: “I accept that the household that the court has heard about was perhaps not the easiest of households, but whatever the perceived shortcomings of your father, he was entitled to intervene when you were involved in a disturbance and he was entitled not to be punched by you.”

-Would you like to pay tribute to Dennis Folkes? Do you have a message for Jordan? Call The Evening Star newsdesk on 01473 324788 or e-mail starnews@eveningstar.co.uk