Jake’s death was ‘a pointless waste of life’

RYAN Patient’s “cowardly actions show so tragically how quickly a good life can be snatched away by a single act of violence”, Jake Rainton’s heartbroken family said.

Yesterday, Patient was jailed for 10 years for the manslaughter of Jake, having been found guilty of the charge following a trial at Leeds Crown Court last month.

Jake, 23, pictured, was killed after being hit in the “unprovoked attack” following a night out in Huddersfield town centre on July 15 last year.

Patient was on a stag do at the time and fled the scene after inflicting the fatal injuries on Jake.

Following the sentencing hearing, Jake’s family released a statement, condemning his killer’s actions and highlighting the consequences of one-punch attacks.

They said: “Jake was a brother, son, cousin, uncle and friend who was full of life and much loved by us all.

“He was growing into a nice young man who loved his family, his mates and his horses.

“He had a love for life and was looking forward to his future.

“But, due to one man’s actions, Jake isn’t going to be able to settle down, get married and have children which is a life we know he wanted.

“We had to see Jake at hospital, plugged into so many machines and then watch as they were turned off as there was nothing that could be done.

“He was already gone; left beyond help by an attacker who had walked off and left him to die.

“A man who chose to run away and had to be hunted down by the police.

“Jake’s death has left a hole in our hearts which no sentence can repair and was a pointless waste of life.

His youngest brother Brody, six, knocks on the church door on his way to school to talk to Jake and misses him terribly.

“He says he is the only boy left in the family now.

“We all wish we could speak to Jake one last time but that chance has been taken away from us. Ryan Patient has left us with a lifetime of pain.

“His cowardly actions show so tragically how quickly a good life can be snatched away by a single act of violence.”

Detective Inspector

Jodie Hayes of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team at West Yorkshire Police, said: “This has been a devastating case in which a young man who had a promising future has had his life taken from him in a pointless, motiveless attack.

“Time and again we see how a single punch thrown in a moment’s madness can have the most tragic consequences, and this sadly, is one of these cases.

“While it is not thought Patient intended for the incident to end in the way it did, his actions have resulted in Jake’s family and friends losing everything. He also walked away from the scene, leaving Jake obviously very seriously injured.

“It is right he has been sentenced today to answer for the enormity of what he has inflicted on them and on Jake himself.”