Northampton one-punch victim's family says CPS 'ignored' their pleas to throw out manslaughter plea and try for murder

The family of a Northampton man killed in a one-punch assault say they felt their beloved son's court case was treated as "a money and time saving exercise" by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Glenn Davies was killed in August last year when he was punched in the back of the head in a "cowardly attack" at a Northampton town centre pub in August last year. He was just 25.

His killer, Michael Taiwo, 22, from Lorne Road, was jailed on Tuesday to four years and 10 months in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

But, in an interview with Chronicle & Echo after the hearing, Glenn's family now say they still feel they have "not had justice" for their son's death - and have levelled heavy criticism at the CPS for last-minute change-of-plans and "rushed" meetings throughout the case.

Speaking on behalf of Glenn's family, friends and partner of three years, mum Amanda Davies said: "The way the case has been conducted has felt like a money and time-saving exercise.

"We felt we weren't getting justice and we still feel we haven't got justice."

Amanda says she and her family were called to a meeting at court in February to hear that Taiwo wanted to plead guilty to manslaughter but not-guilty to murder.

The CPS reportedly meant to speak to the grieving family in September 2019 - the month after Glenn's death - about if they would accept a manslaughter plea.

But the meeting didn't happen until February - and only TWO HOURS before the court hearing where Taiwo would make his plea.

Amanda said: "We pleaded with them to please take it to trial because it means so much to us.

"But they heard us out and told us at the end that their decision was they were going to accept the plea of manslaughter.

"They completely ignored what we said.

"I would never have accepted a plea of manslaughter. We absolutely wanted it to go to trial. I don't want anyone to think this is what we asked for."

In another shock for the family, Amanda was only phoned at 8.30pm on Monday (March 16) to be told their son's killer would be jailed at court the next morning and they needed to be there.

The case was originally listed for March 20 - but in a last-minute rescheduling, it was moved to March 17 - giving Glenn's family and friends less than 12 hours to cancel plans and work shifts.

Amanda said: "Not everyone could be there. One of his friends had to come to court off of a night shift. Another of this closest friends couldn't make it at all.

"We booked off leave for Friday to go to court but we were told in a call at 8.30pm the night before that we needed to be there on Tuesday.

"It felt like a money and time-saving exercise."

The Crown Prosecution Service has issued the following statement in response:

“A meeting did not take place with the deceased’s family members which should have done in September. We have apologised to the family for the errors that led to that meeting not taking place.

“That was an opportunity for the family to meet the prosecution team which would have been our preferred approach in the handling of this case. It would inevitably have assisted the family to understand better the proceedings and approach being taken to the prosecution. Meetings did occur in January and February concerning the defence proposals to plead guilty to manslaughter.

“The decision to accept a guilty plea to manslaughter instead of murder was carefully considered as we continually reviewed the evidence in this case. The position was explained to the family who were disappointed with the acceptance of this plea. We concluded that there was insufficient evidence to provide a realistic prospect of a conviction on the murder charge, and for that reason we decided to no longer proceed with it, accepting the guilty plea to manslaughter which more correctly covered the criminal culpability in this tragic and difficult case. Our thoughts are with the family of Mr Davies at this difficult time.”

In court on Tuesday, Amanda stood to bravely tell Taiwo how his actions had "robbed them of a son, brother, partner, friend and future best man".

She said: "There is not an hour we don't think about Glenn. The pain it has caused cannot be put into words.

"We are unable to look at family photos anymore because it's too painful. Every day when I wake up my first thoughts are of my son."