Two jailed for 7 years for killing Liverpool student

TWO men were yesterday convicted of killing a student and jailed for seven years each.

Simon Taylor and Donegal man Kevin O’Dea, both aged 22, were convicted of the manslaughter of Sion Hardy, 24, after they attacked him following a night out in Liverpool city centre last November.

Mr Hardy, a student at Liverpool University, was rushed to hospital but died from a heavy blow to his neck. Liverpool Crown Court heard he was the innocent victim of a group attack that was intended for his friend, Stephen Lunne. During the trial, Donegal-born O’Dea, a corporate host at Manchester United, was described as “central” in the proceedings.

He had rowed with Mr Lunne and wanted revenge, claimed the prosecution and launched the assault in an underpass along with Taylor, Richard Faustino and Thomas Canning. Despite Faustino and Canning being named in the trial as jointly responsible, they were never charged. Taylor, of Ashton-in-Makerfield in Manchester, admitted punching Mr Hardy in the face three times, but only in self defence.

Yesterday, the jury of nine women and three men found Taylor, who had previous convictions for assaulting a policeman, unanimously guilty of manslaughter, but cleared him of murder.

When the guilty verdict came back for O’Dea, he broke down in tears. The jury foreman also cried and there were shouts of “Yes” from the victim’s family.