''One punch can kill'': Mother of soldier killed by 'one punch' calls for greater awareness
The mother of an ex-soldier who died after being hit with a single punch in Chesterfield says there needs to be greater awareness about the consequences and impact on those who lose loved ones.
Yvonne Henchliffe's 24-year-old son, Chris, died from a single punch in 2016 after an altercation. He served in the army in the Yorkshire Regiment.
His attacker was jailed for five and half years for manslaughter. He has since been released but she says sentencing is too lenient and needs to be increased to deter people from the crime.
''Not doing five and half years its not long enough for us as a family to allow that to happen. We are still in the same town. I still have the possibility that I might walk into him in town.''
''That's why we need to raise awareness, because that one punch can and will kill.''
It comes as a MP Dehenna Davison, from Sheffield, whose father was killed by a single punch, launched a campaign aimed at getting "a fairer sense of justice" for victims and their families.
Her father Dominic died 14 years ago after being punched at a pub - she was just13 years old at the time.
MP Dehenna Davison has vowed to use her political role to make a difference and is starting the All Party Parliamentary Group for One-Punch Assaults (APPG) to investigate sentencing for offenders, which she says is often too lenient.
Ms Davison says she has been surprised by just how many people have been impacted by one punch assaults, either directly or indirectly and also wants there to be better education around the impacts of violence.
In response a Ministry of Justice spokesperson has said: “while sentencing decisions are a matter for independent judges, we will carefully consider the APPG’s findings.”