A five-year jail sentence handed to a bus driver who beat a man to death in front of his wife after a row over queue-jumping at a Sainsbury's has been branded 'paltry' by the shadow justice secretary.
Demiesh Williams, 30, was jailed for five years for the fatal assault on Andrew Clark, 43, in Beckenham, south London. The sentence has drawn criticism from Robert Jenrick, who accused the Labour Party of pursuing a policy of 'soft sentencing'.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, Mr Jenrick said: 'Williams committed an appalling crime and yet his prison sentence is paltry. A five year sentence, reduced further under the early release scheme, is not justice. I am writing to the Attorney General asking that it is reconsidered.'
Woolwich Crown Court heard an argument broke out when Williams pushed ahead in a shop queue, and Mr Clark challenged him. Williams responded by threatening to 'take him outside' before returning to his parked car, where he put on a balaclava. As Mr Clark was leaving the shop, Williams attacked him, causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement. Mr Clark died in hospital three days later.
Williams was initially charged with grievous bodily harm with intent, but the charge was upgraded to murder following Mr Clark's death. He denied murder but admitted manslaughter, and the prosecution accepted his guilty plea to the lesser charge.
Passing sentence, Judge Andrew Lees said: 'Andrew Clark was 43 at the time of his death. He was a hard-working family man. The family are dealing with unimaginable grief from which recovery is unlikely to ever be complete.' Williams will serve up to two-thirds of the sentence in prison before release on licence.
