Man given three-year prison sentence following manslaughter guilty plea

A man has been sentenced to three-years in prison after pleading guilty to manslaughter in relation to an incident in Newmarket last year.

Officers were called at 3.40pm on Saturday 8 March 2025, to reports of an altercation involving four people in High Street.

Two men sustained injuries as a result of the incident and were taken to hospital.

One of the injured parties, aged 45, was discharged later in the evening on 8 March.

Richard Wingrove, 71, of Newmarket, was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital in a critical condition, where he sadly died on Tuesday 18 March.

Levi Williams, 26, from Trefonen, Shropshire, but previously of Holland Park, Newmarket, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of assault causing grievous bodily harm. He was initially bailed before later being rearrested and charged with murder.

On Friday 10 April, at Peterborough Crown Court, Williams pleaded guilty to manslaughter. He was sentenced at the same court today, Thursday 4 June.

Prior to the incident both Williams and Richard Wingrove had separately been drinking in the town. While outside a public house from which Richard had been ejected, a verbal altercation took place between the pair, after which a physical fight broke out. Williams had already hit the victim to the floor once before their altercation continued, with Williams delivering a further punch to the head. This caused Richard to fall to the floor, hitting his head on the pavement.

As well as the consumption of alcohol during the day, Williams tested positive for cocaine while at Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre.

Detective Constable Hannah Barrett said: “Richard Wingrove, a man who was celebrating his birthday, has lost his life in a completely avoidable act of violence, causing devastation for so many people.

“Sadly, this is not an isolated incident. We continue to see similar cases across the county and region, where alcohol and drugs play a role in violent behaviour with tragic consequences. It took one punch to take a life — and seconds to destroy countless others.

“Williams had a simple choice: to walk away or to escalate the situation. He chose to use violence. He now has a criminal record for an extremely serious offence and will spend time in prison. However, no sentence can undo the fact that a life has been lost.

“The impact of this is widespread and lasting. Richard Wingrove’s family and friends are grieving the unimaginable loss of a father, son, grandfather and great grandfather while Williams’ own loved ones must also come to terms with what his actions have caused.

“We will continue to highlight cases like this to demonstrate just how devastating a single moment of violence can be. Let this be the warning: stop, think, and walk away. If it prevents even one family from experiencing such a loss, then it matters.

“As we enter the summer months, more people will be socialising and, in some cases, consuming more alcohol than usual. It is often in these moments that minor disagreements can quickly spiral, with patience wearing thin.

“There is no excuse or defence for this kind of violence. The message is clear: if a situation becomes heated, de-escalate it or remove yourself. You may think that one punch is insignificant, but this case proves otherwise. Lives can be ruined in seconds - one punch can kill.”

Two further people have been charged with offences relating to the incident on 8 March 2025. Matthew Wilson, 24, of Bury Road, Newmarket, and Jamie Wingrove, 46, of Cherry Hinton Road, Cambridge, have been charged with affray and are due to appear at Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on 7 July.

A picture of Williams can be seen here - Man given three-year prison sentence following manslaughter guilty plea | Suffolk Constabulary