A teenager killed a loved one in the family with a stunt after using drugs and drinking during a night out. Morgan Wainyaright, 19, punched Andrew Nicholas outside the King’s Head Wetherspoon pub in Monmouth and the 43-year-old never regained consciousness.
Wainwright pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Mr. Nicholas, described by his family as an “amazing, wonderful, loving son, brother and uncle”, in the early morning attack on Monnow Street on June 26. Nicholas, a golf enthusiast from Poole, visited the area with friends on a golfing trip, heard the Newport Crown Court.
Judge Daniel Williams told Wainwright: “You and Andrew Nicholas went to Monmouth town center in separate groups. Mr. Nicholas was at the Green Dragon pub to buy a kebab. Earlier you were having lunch and you were in King’s Head in the morning. You drank a lot, used cocaine and ketamine.
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“In King’s Head you were involved in an argument with a group of men. I saw pictures in the pub. In stages, you come face to face with a man. The others seem to be trying to calm him down. You are asked to leave the bar. There is a fight outside the bar and punches are thrown.”
The court heard that Wainwright threw the punches during the fight, which a witness said involved a dispute between a group of men from Monmouth and another from Newport. The bouncer described Waynewright as “pretty broke” and “looking for trouble” as he left the pub.
“That fight happened moments before you mortally wounded Andrew Nicholas,” the judge continued. “Their paths crossed near Royal Head. Surveillance camera shows the two talking. It is quite obvious that Mr. Nicholas is very insecure due to alcohol. You said you found it by accident.
“You participated in a hostile encounter. At many points during the night, this dire outcome could have been avoided. Security cameras show Mr. Nicholas hitting you… He took a step back and there was a pause. He then took a step forward and hit Mr. Nicholas and attempted a second strike. From the first blow, he fell to the ground and the back of his head hit the pavement.”
More than a dozen people had gathered around the two men onstage, who appeared to be having a heated conversation. A witness said that Wainyaright punched Mr. Nicholas and then retreated. The witness added: “He did not provide first aid. He looked angry. His face was red.”
(Image: Gwent Police)
Others put Mr. Nicholas in the CPR position, but he wasn’t breathing. He was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, where he later died of blunt force trauma to the back of the head. Wainwright went to the skate park where he spoke to a witness who described him as “stressed and anxious”. About an hour later, the teenager returned to the scene and was arrested.
The court heard that Wainwright had become frustrated earlier in the evening after having to make up the shortfall on his group’s restaurant bill. The 20-year-old, from Mid Summer Way, said he had been drinking since 4pm and initially claimed he acted in self-defence but later admitted to unlawful homicide.
The court heard a victim impact statement from Mr. Nicholas, who said: “She just went to get something to eat and will never be home. I am heartbroken and in disbelief. How can it be true?”
“He lived with me after I lost my husband three years ago. He has done so much to help me and I don’t know how I can cope and go on without him. He was the most loving and caring son a mother could have. He was loved and respected by many. Many described him as the perfect gentleman. The rest of my life is a lifelong prison of pain that never goes away. Your brother is devastated, devastated over the loss of his beloved brother.
Nicholas’s family described him as “the best uncle in the world” to his three nieces, who “suffered irreparable and unacceptable shock and pain that they will carry with them for the rest of their lives”.
Sarah Frances Jones KC, representing Wainwright, said: “Mr Nicholas’s family should not be here just a few days before Christmas to learn the completely unnecessary and tragic nature of his death. They should be planning a celebration with him. of my mitigation, which aims to add to your pain or blame you individually for what happened.’
The lawyer told the court that the incident “lives on” in her client’s thoughts and dreams, “as it should”. She said Wainwright’s aspirations had been affected by a sports injury, but he had recently gone into business and was making enough money to support himself. She admitted that he had engaged in “some rude behavior” outside the bar, but denied that he was “determined to fight”. He added that he did not intend to commit criminal violence.
Jones said that Wainyaright “took responsibility for others not proceeding” with the dispute and that “it would have been improper of him to leave his friends”. He gestured for Nicholas to leave, but “I didn’t realize I wasn’t defusing the situation,” he said.
Mrs. Jones added that Mr. Nicholas smacked Wainwright across the face. “The defendant then gives a brief but disastrous chase,” he told the court.
He described his client as “embarrassed” by his behavior, adding: “He was a good athlete, a team player, he earned his own money, he was a good partner, a good son, a good brother. And now he realizes that nothing that matters after what he did because he’s a murderer… The night it mattered, he was doing drugs and drinking and someone died.”
Judge Williams noted that Wainwright had no previous violent crimes, but did have a 2021 conviction for drunk driving. He said he had read references to Waynewright’s “positive qualities” and that the attack was “mitigated by age”, but added: “When he hit him, he intended to do damage or at least was reckless that the damage was done. . .” 🇧🇷
The judge ordered four years in a juvenile prison. He is in custody for manslaughter, and the time served will count towards his sentence. Two years of the term will be served in custody and the remainder on leave.
After the sentence, Mr. Nicholas said: “The events of June 26th, which led to Andrew’s death at the hands of another man, will be a pain that will never go away. The trauma and destruction caused to so many of us, family and friends, will never be forgotten.
“We are happy that the person responsible for this has been brought to justice and convicted of the crime committed. His actions have caused untold damage and no sentence will be long enough. It is a certain consolation that a young man without respect, maturity, honor and with such disregard for the lives of others has destroyed his future with his actions and now goes to serve [young offender institution] sentence and wear this label for the rest of your life.
“Andrew, known as Bandy, was a loving, passionate, hardworking, caring and compassionate individual, loved by his family and friends and adored by his nieces and nephews who will be sorely missed. He was highly respected in the golf community and was described as an irreplaceable loss by his golf club and Dorset County Golf. Over 300 people attended his funeral, showing their love and respect for him.
“As a family, we would like to thank the Gwent Police officers, the Family Liaison Officer and the Crown Prosecution Service who have supported us from day one and we will always remember their compassion, professionalism and dedication to getting justice for Andrew. all of us. We would also like to thank the Dorset police who rushed my mother and I to Cardiff on the morning of my brother’s attack. We also want to thank the staff at the intensive care unit named after [University Hospital of Wales] who looked after my brother and the NHS organ donation team for helping him help others.
“Andrew’s legacy will live on through golf and we are very grateful to all Knighton Heath Golf Club managers, captains, members and professionals for all their support over the past six months and for creating the competition that has been agreed with the PGA and Dorset County. Golf, to be played in your name.”
Detective Superintendent Nick Wilkie said: “This is clearly a case of an argument that escalated to a horrific level of violence which left Andrew Nicholas with fatal injuries. The circumstances of Mr. Nicholas should serve as a wake-up call to others about how a senseless act of violence can have devastating consequences. As a result of Waynewright’s actions, Mr. Nicholas was injured and never recovered, changing the lives of his family and friends forever.
You can read more recent histories from the Welsh court here.
Source: Wales Online
Jason Jack is an experienced technology journalist and author at The Nation View. With a background in computer science and engineering, he has a deep understanding of the latest technology trends and developments. He writes about a wide range of technology topics, including artificial intelligence, machine learning, software development, and cybersecurity.
