Man jailed for manslaughter after fatal assault in Southampton pub

Harry Joyce, 27, of no fixed address, has been jailed for six years for the manslaughter of 52-year-old Perry Cardy, who was fatally assaulted whilst at the Bittern pub on Friday 19 April.
 
The sentence comes after Joyce entered a plea of manslaughter on July 17. 
 
Perry Cardy was assaulted in the Bittern pub in Southampton, at around 9.50pm, Friday April 19.
 
The 52-year-old from Thornhill Park Road, the same road where the pub is located, was taken to Southampton General Hospital suffering from serious head injuries and sadly died of his injuries on Sunday 21 April.

Harry Joyce and a 39-year-old man, were arrested in connection with the incident.

The 39-year-old man was questioned by officers and later released. No further action was taken against him.

Joyce was charged with murder and remanded in custody.

He entered a plea of manslaughter in relation to the case and yesterday (July 18) he was jailed for six years.

Perry’s sister, Amanda, has paid tribute to her brother and expressed her anger at her family’s loss. She said,
 
“This is a mindless incident that has happened to Perry, that has left our family devastated and angry. We are trying to live without a son, brother, uncle and dad and for many, a great friend and work colleague.
 
“We don’t think we will ever come to terms with the loss of Perry. In fact, it all still seems surreal. We can only hope in time the pain will ease. He will never be forgotten and his memory kept alive. We will continue to look out for his children who are finding the whole situation hard to come to terms with. This was a senseless loss of life.”
 
Detective Inspector Lee Macarthur from the Major Crime team said: “Perry suffered a violent, unprovoked assault from Joyce. Due to Joyce’s actions, Perry’s life was taken away from him in an instant, and his family feel the pain every day. 

 “A single act and a split second decision can cause devastating lasting damage to numerous lives. The message to take away from this is, one punch can kill. If you find yourself getting involved in an confrontation or argument, stop, think about your actions and the potential consequences, and walk away. 
 
 “At this time of the year we see more people heading out to enjoy the summer evenings and alcohol plays a big part in violent crime. We would encourage everyone to think about  how easily a momentary decision can affect the rest of your life and potentially end others.”