Beloved dad, 37, punched to death outside Wetherspoons by thug who 'felt disrespected'

A man has been jailed for punching and killing a beloved dad outside a Wetherspoon pub after he "felt disrespected". Kyle O’Callaghan, 30, previously pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Marcus Carpenter, 37, who died in hospital after being assaulted outside the Picture House in Ebbw Vale, Gwent . Judge Daniel Williams sentenced O’Callaghan, of no fixed abode, to 10 years and six months in prison, with an extended licence period of four years. Newport Crown Court heard that both Mr Carpenter and O’Callaghan visited the Picture House on the evening of February 20 this year with separate groups of friends. The court heard O’Callaghan approached Mr Carpenter and his friends at around midnight, asking him "who are you then?" and requesting he follow him outside. It was in an alleyway outside the JD Wetherspoon pub that O’Callaghan twice struck Mr Carpenter "unprovoked" before fleeing the scene. Mr Carpenter collapsed and was pronounced dead in hospital on February 24, having suffered severe head injuries as a result of the blow. Judge Williams said: "You headed to the table where Marcus Carpenter and his friends were, you recognised one of his friends from him working in a pub in Tredegar. "You then approached Marcus Carpenter and asked who he was … You had heard that Marcus Carpenter had been saying things about you to other people. You are very quick to think that you’ve been wronged by others, whatever the truth of the situation." The court heard there "didn’t appear to be any bad feeling" between the two men and Mr Carpenter followed O’Callaghan outside. "What happened outside the pub was caught on CCTV, you were spoiling for a fight, you felt disrespected," the judge said. Judge Williams said O’Callaghan behaved "in an overbearing, aggressive and intimidating way towards Mr Carpenter, who at no stage was hostile, let alone aggressive," towards him. "But you were determined to harm Mr Carpenter, whatever he did, and however uninterested he was in engaging with you," the judge said. CCTV footage played to the court showed the two men continuing to speak for several minutes, before O’Callaghan delivered a second punch. Mr Carpenter had his arms at his side when O’Callaghan threw the “fatal, sickening blow” to his head. The court heard that, after Mr Carpenter collapsed, O’Callaghan attempted to drag his body and slapped him, before fleeing the scene. O’Callaghan later told police he had been acting in "self-defence", claiming Mr Carpenter had been aggressive towards him. Judge Williams said: "Your selfishness seems limitless. You claimed at first to be acting in self defence - it was, of course, nothing of the sort. Your actions have caused unimaginable grief, loss and sadness." In a tribute issued after his death, Mr Carpenter’s family described him as a "beloved son, partner and dad". They said: "Marcus was one of a kind with the kindest of hearts who would help anyone out he could. His passing has left a massive hole in the lives of everyone close to him."