A man has been sentenced to jail time after being found guilty of killing a father of five in Crayford in June 2020.
Wayne Hoskyns was described as a "loving and much-loved husband and daddy" who died in hospital surrounded by his family.
The 41-year-old was attacked in broad daylight in Crayford by Gareth Standing, a 38-year-old of Central Road in Dartford.
Standing was later arrested then charged with Wayne's death by manslaughter, and having previously pleaded guilty, he was sentenced to four years and eight months imprisonment at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, January 21.
Detective Chief Inspector Helen Rance from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, who led the investigation, said: “Our thoughts today are with the family of Wayne Hoskyns who was taken from them so suddenly.
"Despite the legal proceedings now being at an end, the effects of the loss they have suffered will continue in the years ahead.
“I would like to thank the witnesses who came forward to assist my team in establishing the circumstances surrounding Wayne’s death, particularly those who tried to help Wayne and called for medical assistance. I applaud their sense of community and their commendable choice to do the right thing.”
The police investigation established that on the day of Wayne’s death he and three others, including Standing, were sitting by the café in the park talking, then Standing took offence at something Wayne had said to Standing’s female companion.
At the height of this disagreement, Standing punched Wayne in the face, knocking him out. Standing and his companion then left the scene, leaving Wayne lying where he fell.
A number of concerned onlookers came to Wayne’s aid, calling LAS and attempting to help him.
Met Police said officers were called by London Ambulance Service at 16:18hrs on Friday, June 19 2020 to The Parade in Crayford, to reports of a man having been assaulted.
Officers attended and found Wayne Hoskyns unresponsive. Members of the public and medics administered CPR before the father of five was rushed to hospital via London Air Ambulance.
Wayne died with his family at his bedside on the afternoon of Saturday, January 20.
The defendant, Gareth Standing, presented himself at a south London police station on Tuesday, 23 June and was arrested on suspicion of Wayne’s murder.
While Standing was in custody, a post-mortem examination was carried out at Princess Royal University Hospital which found the cause of Wayne Hoskyns death to have been a Subarachnoid Haemorrhage.
Gareth Standing was charged with murder that same day, and responded ‘no comment’ to all questions put to him in police interview and was remanded in custody.
On Monday, 23 November, Standing appeared at Woolwich Crown Court where he entered a plea of guilty to manslaughter which was accepted by the court. He was remanded in custody for sentencing.
Speaking previously, Wayne's widow said: "This is an awful tragedy and we want to get justice for Wayne, a loving husband and daddy. Our hearts are breaking at this sad time."
Mr Hoskyns' mother said: "He was a much-loved father, son, brother and uncle.
"His family has been left devastated by this senseless crime and loss of a young life, and we would implore anybody who saw anything or has any information whatsoever to please come forward."
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