THE man who killed Freddie Fontete-Jones in one punch has been sentenced to nine years in prison for manslaughter.

Pool, 25, hit 23-year-old Freddie with such force he fell back and was knocked unconscious.

Pool, a builder from Winterbourne Gunner, appeared in Winchester Crown Court for the sentencing on Friday, February 3, which was then adjourned to Monday, February 6.

He initially denied a charge of murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter as a direct alternative on September 9.

Her Honour Judge Morris ruled a culpability B manslaughter case of nine years in prison, reduced by three years.

He will be released from custody no earlier than the six-year mark, and the remainder of the sentence will be served on licence. 

He has to pay surcharge to fund victim services of £190. 

She said: "The backdrop to this case is regrettably a situation all too familiar to these courts where a group of people having consumed far too much alcohol misread a situation and responded to it with unjustifiable aggression because they are incapable of controlling themselves.

"I have no doubt that everyone who was involved in the ugly events now wishes with the benefit of hindsight that they had behaved better, more responsibly and consumed less alcohol.

"The Fontete-Jones family have to live with the consequences of other people's drunken and loutish behaviour for the rest of their lives."

Judge Morris also paid tribute to Emma Fontete's "moving account" to her brother, before returning to events of February 20, 2022. 

She said: "You [Pool] disposed of your mobile phone prior to your attendance at the police station. I am bound to observe that was a cynical act which was only designed to frustrate the police in their investigation."

The 'horrific' sound of the punch was described as 'like a balloon popping' by a witness.

Freddie went on to suffer three heart attacks and was later pronounced dead at Salisbury District Hospital at 5.01pm on February 22.

His family wept as they saw CCTV of the attack and heard details of the incident as Pool was sentenced.

LIVE BLOG (Monday, February 6 sentencing): Freddie Fontete-Jones: Connor Pool sentencing continues

Arguments and fighting broke out at Chick-O-Land around 3am on February 20.

One man was struck to the side of the face, which the prosecution said may have been "the catalyst for Freddie returning to the area".

Mr Fontete-Jones, who had not been involved, arrived on the scene as a 'peace-maker'.

It is at that point the attack on Freddie began.

Kerry Meylin, prosecuting, told the court that Pool delivered a "cheap shot" to Fontete-Jones after he confronted two males, asking why they attacked his friend.

Read more: Freddie Fontete-Jones killed after trying to stop late night fight

A sober Fontete-Jones was approached from the side and punched in the head in a "totally unprovoked and vicious attack" while he was trying to "calm the situation". 

He fell backwards and hit his head on the concrete.

Freddie had traces of cocaine in his system, and this, says the defence, means he may have had less time to react to the punch.

LIVE BLOG (Friday, February 3 sentencing): Freddie Fontete-Jones: Sentencing of Connor Pool

Charles Benson, defending, said prior to the punch Pool was also acting as a "shepherd", herding his friends away and was not involved in any previous altercations that night.

After the attack, Pool took a taxi and CCTV footage shows him making purchases at a petrol station mere minutes after Freddie was punched.

Pool did not know the extent of the injuries he caused and "lashing out" at Freddie was an "enormous misjudgement", the defence argued.

Pool then asked his friends via 'digital communication' if Freddie was still alive, and when told Freddie was on life support, he said: "I don't have time for this". 

He denied responsibility and told his friends to delete their group chats after being told to hand himself into the police.

See more: Freddie Fontete-Jones's sister Emma gives impact statement

30 hours after the attack, Pool handed himself to Bourne Hill Police Station without his mobile phone, which has never been found.

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Childe, from the Major Crime Investigation Team, said: “As a result of Pool’s actions, Freddie sustained a traumatic brain injury from which he never recovered.

“Pool’s actions were both callous and reckless and have completely devastated Freddie’s family, many friends and local community and I know his loss will be felt for many years to come.  Our thoughts remain with Freddie’s family today.

"Sadly, this case highlights just how devastating one punch can be. A split second decision to act in a violent way can destroy lives. Your actions can cause complete devastation and a lifetime of regret. We’d urge people to really think hard about their decisions when consuming alcohol on a night out – think about what triggers you and what you can do to prevent your feelings from escalating. If you ever find yourself in a situation which has the potential to escalate into violence, please – walk away.

“From the very beginning, this was a fast-paced investigation, with multiple witnesses to interview in order to ascertain the circumstances leading up to the assault. Both the local uniformed officers who were called to the incident and those from the Major Crime Investigation Team who have subsequently been involved in the investigation have been dedicated and diligent throughout and I would like to thank them all for their efforts in securing justice for Freddie’s family.”

In a letter to the court, Pool apologised for his actions.

It read: "I firstly wanted to start by expressing how deeply sorry I am for the pain my actions caused. I can't imagine how sad this has been for them. 

"Try as I might, I cannot find the right words for the depth of my regret. I know sorry does not begin to cut it, but I am so very sorry. I didn't want this to happen to Freddie or anyone."

"The events of this night haunt me every night. I literally relive them, every night.

"I know that this won't leave me for the rest of my life, so I can't imagine what it must be like for Freddie's family."

Pool's actions were "out of character" and "inconsistent with those on the night", argued Mr Benson.

He was described as 'reliable, sensitive and of good character' with one irrelevant previous criminal conviction.

"There are only losers here and many of them," added Mr Benson.