Preston pair convicted of killing Jack Jermy-Doyle with 'one punch attack' near Harris Library

Two men from Preston have been convicted of killing 25-year-old Jack Jermy-Doyle when they drunkenly attacked him on a night out in the city.

Jake Parkinson, 22, pleaded not guilty but was convicted of manslaughter after trial at Preston Crown Court today, while Jak Fairclough, 29, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at an earlier hearing in August 2023.

The pair will be sentenced at a later date. You can read our full court report here.

What happened that night?

At trial, evidence was produced by the prosecution to show that throughout the night of August 12, 2023 both Parkinson and Fairclough had been involved in aggressive behaviour and had been seen in and out of bars making a nuisance of themselves and fighting.

Mr Jermy-Doyle was out with a friend the same night. They started the night in Chorley before heading into Preston city centre.

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At around 2.30am on August 12, 2023, Jack and his friend were in the area of Flag Market. He was ahead of his friend, who was sat on a bench, and Jack was approached by Parkinson and Fairclough.

Parkinson delivered a blow to Jack's stomachl. Almost immediately after that, Fairclough punched him in the face.

The blow to his face knocked the 25-year-old to the ground where he banged his head and was knocked unconscious.

Fairclough and Parkinson did nothing to assist their victim, and instead they fled the scene leaving Jack's friend to seek help and call the emergency services.

Despite the best efforts of paramedics and staff at Royal Preston Hospital, Jack failed to regain consciousness and died from head injuries on August 14 - just two weeks before his 26th birthday.

A postmortem confirmed that he died from a blunt force injury to the back of his head, consistent with his head hitting the ground.

The police investigation uncovered a pattern of aggressive behaviour by Parkinson and Fairclough throughout the night and early hours of the morning that culminated in Jack's tragic death.

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The morning after the attack, Fairclough telephoned the police to hand himself in, after taking steps to destroy evidence. Both he and Parkinson were subsequently arrested.

Fairclough admitted that he had punched Jack and that he had disposed of the clothing he was wearing that night in a neighbour’s bin, which had since been emptied.

READ MORE: Man accused of manslaughter of Jack Jermy-Doyle after night out in Preston sent frantic messages to friends

Parkinson admitted in interview that he had given Jack what he called a “little dig in his belly” and claimed Jack was the aggressor.

Fairclough pleaded guilty to manslaughter in August 2023. Parkinson pleaded not guilty to manslaughter and was convicted after trial on March 15 this year.

The pair will be sentenced at a later date.

Katie Marsden, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West, said:” This was a senseless act of violence by Parkinson and Fairclough that had fatal consequences for Mr Jermy-Doyle.

“Their actions in approaching him, assaulting him and leaving him for dead were despicable.

“Far from being remorseful, Mr Fairclough could be heard shortly after fleeing the scene shouting: “who wants it” and “who’s next.”

“This case is a further reminder that one punch can kill.

“My thoughts are very much with the family and friends of Mr Jermy-Doyle who bear his loss.”

Det Insp Bryony Midgley, of the Force Major Investigation Team, added: “My thoughts first and foremost are with Jack’s family and loved ones. They have lost a kind and caring young man, who they loved dearly, through the senseless and violent actions of Parkinson and Fairclough on that night.

“I would like to thank the jury for their careful consideration of the facts in what was an emotive case. I would also like to thank the Crown Prosecution Service and prosecution counsel for their presentation of the case.

“I would like to further thank all the officers and staff who worked tirelessly on this case to secure charges and now successful convictions. I hope that today’s result gives Jack’s family some sense that justice has been served.”

You can read our court report here.