A 78-year-old pensioner described as the “greatest granddad” died after being punched once by a yob who he asked not to ride his electric bike on the pavement.
Michael Dawson, who was said to have loved “a cup of tea and an egg custard” had enjoyed a night singing karaoke with friends in a pub in Bury, Greater Manchester, on August 24.
Mr Dawson, who jokingly referred to himself as “Curly” despite being bald, told staff “I had a wonderful night tonight” before he set off to make his way home.
Sadly Mr Dawson was to cross paths with thug Nathan Pilling, 24, who after a “brief exchange of words” between the pair about not riding his bike on the path, punched the pensioner in the head.
Mr Dawson suffered a fractured skull and bleed on the brain before dying from his injuries just under two weeks later with his family by his side as his favourite Elton John song played.
Police arrested Pilling during the same evening after he fled the attack while being bravely chased by members of the public. In his interview, he refused to take responsibility for his actions, suggesting instead that Mr Dawson had hit him and he had acted in self-defence.
Following the grandfather’s passing, Pilling was charged with manslaughter and on the first day of his trial, he changed his plea to guilty. On Wednesday this week at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court he was sentenced to five years and four months in jail.
During the court case, the MEN reports Mr Dawson’s granddaughter, Natasha Fisch, took to the witness box to pay tribute to her grandfather.
She said: “He loved animals, singing, hiking and his family and friends. He loved having a look around a charity shop, a cup of tea and an egg custard. He also volunteered as a driver for a cancer charity.”
His daughter Jennifer Fisch added: “He was the most gentle, genuine, caring man with a sense of humour that had us crying with laughter. He was just the greatest dad and grandad.
“Since his death, I often drive to his house and wait for the light to come on. I tell myself that he is just out on one of his walking holidays – this is what I’ve been telling myself since.
“My last memory of my father was seeing him with all these tubes in hospital and watching him take his last breath and listening to his favourite song – Candle in the Wind by Elton John. He left us with a tear in his eye.”
CCTV from August 24 showed Mr Dawson walking along the road and pointing towards Pilling, who was riding an electric bike on the pavement on the other side.
Pilling then rode across the road, got off his bike and put it against a rail and stood directly in front of Mr Dawson as a confrontation took place. During the argument, Pilling, who was aged 23 at the time, twice moved away to leave.
But when he returned for the final time, he punched Mr Dawson in the head, which made him fall to the ground where he became motionless. Two men, who were outside The Bank Pub, rushed over with one trying to stop Pilling from riding away and the other checking Mr Dawson.
Footage showed Pilling managing to escape from several people who had gathered, but he was arrested nearby and initially lied about what happened.
The court heard how Mr Dawson was an engineer who worked in South Africa where he met his wife Poppy. He had also lived for a time in Namibia where he was also loved by many family and friends.
Poppy sadly passed away several years ago, and Mr Dawson lived alone, in walking distance from his daughter and granddaughters until the day he was killed.
In her sentencing notes, Judge Tina Landale told Pilling he had the chance to “walk away”, and that he was a physically bigger person than Mr Dawson, who was described as “vulnerable”.
She said that his act of violence was a “gross overreaction” before handing down a prison sentence.
Following the hearing, senior investigating officer, Phillip Reade, from Greater Manchester Police said the force had “zero tolerance” against violence.
He said: “This was a completely unprovoked attack which sadly took the life of a gentleman who was just enjoying a night out.
“I am extremely grateful to those members of the public who came to Michael’s aid and helped to detain Pilling. It is very clear that Michael was a much-loved family man and very popular who will be missed by so many.
“We have zero tolerance against violence and will do everything we can to make sure the instigators are taken off the streets and placed before the courts.”
