ESIN’S KILLER CAGED
Six years for thug who punched popular dad
A “VILE, vicious thug” who killed a father of two with a single punch has been locked-up for six years and nine months.
Kieron Terence Roberts, 26, attacked Esinkumo Ayabowei during the early hours of Saturday, April 1, outside Peep nightclub in Bangor.
He punched Nigerian-born Mr Ayabowei – known as Henry and Romeo to friends – in the face, fracturing his jaw and causing him to fall and hit the ground with such force his skull was fractured.
The 27-year-old later died in hospital and Caernarfon Crown Court heard how the killing had left his widow Melicia Gerrard “in ruins”.
Charged with murder, Roberts, of Penrhyn Avenue, Bangor, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at a hearing last month and the plea was accepted by the prosecution.
Judge Paul Thomas QC, who also sentenced him to an extended licence period of five years, said he could pass no sentence that would begin to compensate for the “awful tragedy he (Roberts) brought about”.
The judge said that, while Mr Ayabowei went out that evening for a good time with friends, Roberts went out “looking for trouble”.
He concluded that Roberts posed a very high risk of causing serious injury to others in future.
Elwen Evans QC, defending, repeated her concerns that a pre-sentence report was prepared using material not disclosed to the defence.
She argued the test for how dangerous her client was had not been met and asked the judge to look at the case in a “fair and objective manner”.
Roberts threw a single punch and did not follow up with further acts of violence, Ms Evans said. She added Roberts was drunk but had not been confrontational while at other pubs earlier in the night.
The court heard Roberts had been released from prison shortly before the attack after he was jailed for five years in July 2013 for holding a sawn-off shot- gun to another man’s head during a row over money.
On March 31, both Roberts and Mr Ayabowei had been out socialising at various pubs in Bangor, before making their way to the nightclub in Dean Street (far right).
At about 2am, there was an argument among a group of young women in the club and they were ejected.
The argument continued outside the club and CCTV footage showed Mr Ayabowei ushering one of the women away.
Roberts, said to have been boasting about his release from prison and how he was “going to bang someone out tonight”, approached Mr Ayabowei and, without warning or provocation, punched him.
Mr Ayabowei, of Llangefni, was taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd, Bangor, and later transferred to the Royal Stoke Hospital, where he died having never regained consciousness.
After last Wednesday’s hearing Det Chief Supt Brian Kearney said North Wales was a “safer place without Roberts”.
“Kieron Roberts is where he belongs, behind bars,” he added.
“This was a truly wicked and totally unprovoked attack that has left a family heartbroken and sickened a community.
“Roberts is a vile, vicious thug and, throughout this investigation, he has shown no remorse whatsoever.
“He is, without doubt, a dangerous individual and many in the local community will be reassured by his imprisonment,” he concluded.