Huddersfield family left with 'lifetime of pain' after 23-year-old's death from single punch as killer jailed

Ryan Patient, 25, of Leeds Road, Huddersfield was jailed for 10 years at Leeds Crown Court today (Friday) after being found guilty of the manslaughter of Jake Rainton, 23, in an unprovoked assault in Huddersfield in July 2023.

Detectives said the case illustrated how just one punch can ruin the lives of both the victim, his family and friends, and unintentionally turn a person in a split second into a killer.

Police were called to Cross Church Street in Huddersfield at 3.59am on Saturday July 15 to a report a man had been punched and was lying motionless in the street.

Jake was taken to hospital following the attack but died on July 16 from the head injuries he had received.

Leeds Crown Court heard that the assault on Jake occurred after both parties had been out with separate groups of friends drinking.

Both males, who were not known to each other, had come into contact with each other at the end of the night.

Patient was said to have lashed out at Jake in an unprovoked attack, striking him with a single below from which he fell backwards, hitting his head against the pavement.

The 25-year-old was arrested two days after the attack and later charged with manslaughter.

In a statement at the hearing, Jake’s family said: “Jake was a brother, son, cousin, uncle and friend who was full of life and much loved by us all. He was growing into a nice young man who loved his family, his mates and his horses.

“He had a love for life and was looking forward to his future.  But, due to one man’s actions, Jake isn’t going to be able to settle down, get married and have children which is a life we know he wanted.

“We had to see Jake at hospital, plugged into so many machines and then watch as they were turned off as there was nothing that could be done. He was already gone; left beyond help by an attacker who had walked off and left him to die. A man who chose to run away and had to be hunted down by the police.

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“Jake's death has left a hole in our hearts which no sentence can repair and was a pointless waste of life. His youngest brother Broady (6) knocks on the church door on his way to school to talk to Jake and misses him terribly. He says he is the only boy left in the family now.

“We all wish we could speak to Jake one last time but that chance has been taken away from us.

“Ryan Patient has left us with a lifetime of pain. His cowardly actions show so tragically how quickly a good life can be snatched away by a single act of violence.”

Detective Inspector Jodie Hayes of the Homicide and Major Enquiry Team, said: “This has been a devastating case in which a young man who had a promising future has had his life taken from him in a pointless, motiveless attack.  

“Time and again we see how a single punch thrown in a moment’s madness can have the most tragic consequences, and this sadly, is one of these cases.

“While it is not thought Patient intended for the incident to end in the way it did, his actions have resulted in Jake’s family and friends losing everything. He also walked away from the scene, leaving Jake obviously very seriously injured.

“It is right he has been sentenced today to answer for the enormity of what he has inflicted on them and on Jake himself.”