A man from Great Denham has been sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for the manslaughter of Michael Havil after what has been called an ‘unprovoked’ attack.
Ferhan Khan, 39, of Cantley Road, Great Denham pleaded guilty to the charge in November and was sentenced at Luton Crown Court on Friday (31 March).
The fatal attack occurred on 13 May. Michael was visiting a convenience store on Bedford Road when he was approached by his ex-partner. An argument then broke out between the two.
Whilst they were arguing, a vehicle pulled over and Khan exited, and approached Michael. Without warning, he struck Michael three times causing him to lose his footing and fall to the ground.
Despite Havil’s pleas for help, Khan left the scene without checking on his welfare or calling for assistance.
Bedfordshire Police and the ambulance services attended the scene, but Havil refused further medical treatment and police support, accepting a taxi ride home.
Havil was found dead at his home in Kempston the following day.
The attack was captured on CCTV, which led to Khan’s arrest. Detective Constable Lisa Whitson from Bedfordshire Police’s Crime Investigation Department described the assault as “brutal, vicious, and completely unprovoked.”
“Khan, who only loosely knew Michael, saw red and went into a fit of rage, for reasons only he truly knows, and he will now pay his price behind bars,” Whitson said.
Whitson hopes that the sentence will send a strong message that such violence won’t be tolerated in Bedfordshire.
“I hope that today’s sentence shows that violence such as this won’t be tolerated in Bedfordshire,” she said.
“… we will work tirelessly to bring offenders to justice. Our thoughts remain with everyone who has been affected by this terrible incident.
“Our thoughts remain with everyone who has been affected by this terrible incident,” she added.
