Blackpool boxer jailed for manslaughter after killing man with punch so hard it ruptured his spleen

A boxer who killed a man after punching him so hard that he broke several of his ribs and ruptured his spleen has been jailed for more than 14 years.

Daniel Allsop was brutally attacked by Mali Wright, 30, in Blackpool in October 2023.

The victim, who was 38, had walked to Bethesda Road with the intention of buying drugs.

However, when he arrived Wright attacked him, breaking his ribs and rupturing his spleen before chasing him away. A short time later Mr Allsop collapsed in the doorway of a nearby McDonalds restaurant and was taken to hospital.

He died two days later as a result of his injuries. Four days later on October 6, Wright was arrested in Blackpool.

Laura Walmsley, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said: “Outside the confines and controls of the boxing ring Mali Wright used his fists as weapons to inflict what proved to be fatal injuries.

"Daniel Allsop had no opportunity to defend himself against such unprovoked and powerful blows."

Officers searched Wright's car and home and found a large quantity of crack cocaine with an approximate street value of over £2,500 and over £6,800 in cash, along with two phones containing evidence of the sale of heroin and crack cocaine.

Wright discarded 24 individual wraps of crack cocaine on the floor as he was being walked through the police station.

When he was interviewed by the police under caution and chose not to answer any questions.

After a two-week trial at Preston Crown Court last month, Wright was cleared of murder but the jury unanimously found him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

The jury also found Wright guilty of three counts of possessing class A drugs with intent to supply, two counts of being concerned in the supply of class A drugs and a count of possession of criminal property.

He was sentenced today (September 10) to nine years for manslaughter and five-and-a-half years consecutively for the drugs offences.

The Honorary Recorder Judge Robert Altham: "This was an attack by someone who was a powerful athlete who even by the standards of a boxer had a powerful punch. You attacked a ten and a half stone man who was addicted to drugs.

"The force used was considerable and there was more than one blow."

Following his death, Daniel's family said: "We lost a son, dad, brother, grandson, uncle, nephew and cousin. He passed peacefully surrounded by his immediate family.

"He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him."

Det Ch Insp Jill Riley from Lancashire Police’s Force Major Investigation Team offered her sympathies to Daniel’s family.

"Wright, a former boxer, fatally injured Daniel in a serious and unprovoked attack,” she said. "His actions that day showed a shocking level of violence and brutality."