Man jailed for Manslaughter in Maldon

Sonny Hazell, was sentenced at Chelmsford Crown Court on Friday (8/1) for the manslaughter of Mr Bunn.

Daryl Bunn died in hospital on 30 June 2019, after being assaulted the day before.

It's in relation to an incident in June 2019 when Mr Bunn and his friend became involved in an altercation with a group of people outside the Iceland store.

During the incident, Daryl, 27 from Maldon was punched, fell backwards, hitting his head on the ground and a forensic post-mortem examination found he suffered a traumatic brain injury.

He sadly died as a result of his injuries.

His friend suffered a broken jaw.

Sonny Hazell, then 23, was charged with manslaughter and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

He denied the charges and stood trial where a jury at Chelmsford Crown Court found him guilty of manslaughter. He was acquitted of causing grievous bodily harm in relation to Daryl’s friend.

In a statement following the sentencing, Daryl’s family said:

“Three years will never be enough in our eyes for our Daryl, but justice has been done and that was what we promised him and now we can finally grieve.

“We would like to thank Essex Police, not just for all the hard work on the investigation but also for all the support they have given us, Hannah and our extended family.

“We would also like to thank the jury for coming to the right decision.

“Finally we would like to thank our family and friends for their continued support and love throughout this horrific time.”.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Lee Morton, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: “This is a tragic case where Daryl Bunn lost his life because of the reckless actions of Sonny Hazell.

“Hazell will have had time to contemplate how catastrophic the events of that night were.

“The jury found him guilty of manslaughter, despite him pleading not guilty to his actions on the night, and this brings an end to this trial for him.

“However, this is the beginning of a future without Daryl for his fiancé, family and friends.

“They have remained dignified throughout this incredibly difficult time and I want to thank them for their support throughout our investigation and the court case.”