A jockey who had taken cocaine and had been drinking before killing a 'vulnerable' pensioner in a brawl outside a pub has been jailed for three years today. Levi Williams, 26, hit pensioner Richard Wingrove at least twice in a fight outside of a pub in Newmarket, Suffolk - the historic home of horse racing. The 71-year-old was left in critical condition after being rushed to hospital following the attack, but died ten days later on March 8, 2025. The 26-year-old has now been sentenced to three years behind bars after pleading guilty to manslaughter at Peterborough Crown Court in April.Williams has previously been charged with murder; however, the prosecution accepted his guilty plea to manslaughter, and he was bailed ahead of his sentencing.A fight involving four men broke out outside the Waggon & Horses pub on March 8 at about 3.40pm, the court was previously told. Mr Wingrove, who was celebrating his birthday and wearing a cowboy hat, and his son Jamie had been drinking at pub in the town, the court previously heard. The landlord threw them out after he decided they had drunk enough. The pair 'tried to return to the pub on a number of occasions' but were ejected again.Williams and a jockey friend had been at the same pub watching horse racing before leaving to catch a taxi back to work. The pair later became involved in a 'confrontation' with the father and son, which 'resulted in a physical punching fight in the high street', Peter Gair, prosecuting, said. Pictured: Levi Williams, 26, who was charged with the murder of Richard Wingrove, 71, after the pensioner died ten days after the altercation in Newmarket Williams has been jailed to three years behind bars after pleading guilty to manslaughter at Peterborough Crown CourtToday at his sentencing, Jane Oldfield, prosecuting, told the court both jockeys were present while the Wingroves 'were involved with altercations with the pub staff'.CCTV footage shown in court appeared to show the two jockeys blocking Mr Wingrove from entering the pub. A 'verbal exchange between the defendant and the Wingroves' ensured after they to jockeys left the pub, she said. Williams then threw a punch at Jamie and then Mr Wingrove, before falling to the floor, Ms Oldfield added. The older man got back up and 'rejoined the fray', she said. The altercation continued, and Ms Oldfield said that Williams 'suddenly punched Richard Wingrove to the head causing him to fall and hit his head on the pavement'.Mr Wingrove died in hospital in Cambridge on March 18, having initially been placed in an induced coma after a skull fracture and bleeding on the brain.He had been given CPR by paramedics at the scene, before being taken to hospital with a fractured skull, blood clots and contusions to his brain, the court heard. Ms Oldfield said it was probable that his severe injuries were caused by blunt force trauma as a result of the punch or hitting the pavement 'or a combination of both'.Williams and his friend tried to get into a car driven by a friend who happened to be passing, before they were restrained by members of the public. Williams, now of Trefonen, Oswestry, Shropshire, was described as 'drunk, shaken and saying words to the effect of 'it was an accident' when arrested. He also tested positive for cocaine, the court was told, while he also admitted to drinking 'two or three pints' of Stella Artois before the incident. He told officers that he had become aware of two men being drunk and remonstrating with the landlord.Williams said he had, and his friend had left to go home at the same time as Mr Wingrove and his son, who approached them aggressively in the street.He said: 'Punches were thrown both ways. Any injuries caused were unintentional.'Williams, who formerly lived in Newmarket, was originally charged with murder, which he denied.The charge was later dropped after prosecutors accepted his guilty plea for manslaughter.The court heard how he had spent 167 days in custody after the incident before being bailed to live with his mother and stepfather in Oswestry, ShropshireJudge Sean Enright said Mr Wingrove was 'a vulnerable victim' and Williams had been drinking and taking cocaine.Accepting Williams had shown remorse, and giving full credit for his early guilty plea the judge handed the 26-year-old a three-year prison sentence. Pointing out that Williams was 'not the aggressor at the start'. and the initial blows 'could be classed as self defence', the judge added: ''The last punch can't be so justified.'You and your friend could have just trotted away. This is a case where only custody can be justified.'You were in drink and had taken cocaine, and hit a vulnerable man in the head which caused his death.'Judge Enright said: 'This man was killed by a punch in a fracas in the street. He was 71 and you were 25. He walked with a stick and had poor eyesight.'Williams' girlfriend who was in the public gallery with his family members wept loudly as sentence was passed. Mr Wingrove's daughter, Louisa Reah, had said in her victim impact statement that her father had 'poor eyesight and relied on a walking stick'.She said that at the time of the incident her younger daughter was pregnant, and the child 'would have been my father's first great grandchild'.William England, mitigating, said Williams had 'never been involved in any violence of any sort in the past'.Detective Constable Hannah Barrett, speaking outside court after the hearing, said Richard Wingrove had been 'celebrating his birthday' when he lost his life in a 'completely avoidable act of violence'.She said his death had caused 'devastation for so many people'.William England, defending, had asked for Williams to be given a lesser sentence due to the 'truly exceptional circumstances' of the case.He said that Williams had shown real remorse and thought about his actions every day, and the pain he had inflicted on Mr Wingrove's familyMr England added: 'He will have to live with the consequences of what happened for the rest of his life.'He said that a probation officer who had spoken to Williams blamed his actions on an impulsive act, substance misuse and poor decision making.Mr England quoted the probation officer as saying: 'He is clearly very affected by the enormity of his actions and spoke with empathy towards his victim's family.'This is a breaking news story. Updates to follow.