Tipton head-stamp killer locked up for life

Dominic Santos Fraser stamped on Kevin Hadley with such force that he left footprints on the 30-year-old's face.

The 32-year-old was given a life sentence yesterday and will serve at least 14 years behind bars before being eligible for release. He was found guilty of murder last month.

Police described the level of violence used in the attack as 'grotesque and unjustifiable'.

Three others involved in the fight at The Lounge Bar in Tipton were also jailed, while a fourth received a suspended jail term at Wolverhampton Crown Court.

Mr Hadley and his father, also named Kevin, had been out drinking together on October 16, and had each consumed 10 pints of beer before the fight at about 10pm that night.

Trouble began when Mr Hadley Jnr squared up to a group of men playing pool and, despite his 52-year-old father trying to stop the fight, Mr Hadley Jnr later died in the Market Place pub. Mr Hadley Snr was seriously injured.

Prosecuting, Mr Gordon Aspden said Mr Hadley Jnr, of Slater Street, West Bromwich, had been acting aggressively.

"He was very unhappy about something, his actions being belligerent and highly provocative.

"In short, Kevin Hadley Jnr was responsible for the trouble that followed."

Mr Hadley Jnr was struck on the head with a pool cue and hit with a bar stool by Shazad Ali, 27, of Tudor Street, Tipton.

As he tried to hit Mr Hadley Jnr again, the bar stool was deflected by co-offender Hafizur Rahman, aged 29.

While Mr Hadley Jnr lay on the floor, Fraser, of Highfield Road, Tipton, stamped on his head twice, leaving shoe prints on his face which police later matched to trainers worn by Fraser.

A post mortem later revealed Mr Hadley Jnr, of Slater Street, West Bromwich, died from 'blunt force trauma' to the head.

Mr Hadley Snr had been attacked by Sadaqut Ali and Roy Cross, with Ali kicking him in the ribs. Cross, 30, punched him and hurled a fire extinguisher, weighing about 14.5kg, at him.

Cross missed his target when a woman intervened and pushed him away. Shazad Ali was jailed for six years after admitting manslaughter and Cross, of Powis Avenue, Tipton, was jailed for 11 years after admitting inflicting grievous bodily harm on Mr Hadley Snr.

Sadaqut Ali, 32, of Madeley Road, Kingswinford, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and was sentenced to 10 months.

Rahman, of Tudor Street, Tipton, admitted threatening behaviour and received a three-month sentence suspended for two years.

In sentencing the group, Judge John Warner described the attack as 'quite gratuitous and cowardly'.

The father and son had been among a crowd of football fans who had gathered at the Lounge Bar ahead of England's World Cup qualifying game against Poland on October 16 which was called off due to heavy rain.

Fellow drinkers described sensing an uncomfortable atmosphere before Mr Hadley Jnr shrugged off his father's efforts to restrain him and approached the group.