Killed for his Blackberry: Stephen Phillips attacker admits robbery and manslaughter
A man has admitted killing a father-of-six by punching him during a robbery, leaving him with a fractured skull.
Lewis Thornton faced trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court for robbery and the manslaughter of Stephen Phillips.
But after hearing prosecutor Amjad Malik QC's opening statement on day two yesterday, the 24-year-old admitted his guilt. He was due to be sentenced today.
The court was told Thornton punched Mr Phillips, aged 54, as his robbed him of his mobile phone somewhere on either Derry Road or Birmingham Road in Wolverhampton.
Prosecutor Malik said the alarm was first raised about Mr Phillips when he didn't meet a friend who was expecting him at a bookies on the morning of March 12, 2014.
He said: "It was a robbery, an attack in which Lewis Thornton used violence against Stephen Phillips in order to take his Blackberry mobile telephone.
"Mr Phillips used the phone just before the robbery.
"He had an accelerated fall to the ground, most likely caused by a punch or punches.
"That severe impact resulted in a head injury that fractured his skull, caused brain damage and ultimately proved to be fatal.
"Mr Phillips also received a blow to his neck, damaging the thyroid cartilage.
"He was able to get back to his nearby flat, where he was found dead in his bed the following day. His dog Beauty was also in the flat."
At first, his death wasn't treated as suspicious, but a second post-mortem examination found that the grandfather-of-four had died of a head injury.
Mr Phillips was found at his flat by his son Barry in March 2014 in Dudley Road, Blakenhall.
Ahead of sentencing, which was expected to take place tomorrow, Mr Malik revealed a string of convictions which Thornton has racked up, including robberies, an attempted robbery, affray, possession of a blade, assault by beating and common assault on his own father.
After Thornton's guilty plea, Mr Phillips's daughter, Tara Phillips, said: "We are really shocked but relieved at the same time.
"But it's not going to bring back our dad, granddad, partner."
His partner, Tina Fury, added: "We'd like to thank the police for doing a fantastic job."
