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One-punch killer could see manslaughter sentence extended

(L) Michael Hannan who killed (R) James O'Hara in a one punch attack <i>(Image: Lancashire Constabulary)</i>
(L) Michael Hannan who killed (R) James O'Hara in a one punch attack (Image: Lancashire Constabulary)

A thug from Blackburn who killed a man with one punch and then bragged about it on social media could see his prison sentence extended.

Michael Hannan, 32, of Tynwald Road, Blackburn, was jailed on April 27 after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of James O’Hara in a one-punch attack in Gisburn Road, Barrowford, on October 19, 2021.

Now, Hannan’s sentence of five years and four months has been referred to the Attorney General’s Office under the Unduly Lenient Sentence Scheme.

If the referral is sent to the Court of Appeal, Hannan could see his sentence extended.

Hannan and a friend had been drinking in the White Bear Inn prior to walking past Mr O’Hara, 45, who had just bought a record from a nearby charity shop, in a chance meeting.

As the men passed, Hannan and his pal made a comment about somebody ‘growling’, leading to an argument breaking out.

Lancashire Telegraph: The White Bear, where Michael Hannan had been boozing before he attacked James O'Hara
Lancashire Telegraph: The White Bear, where Michael Hannan had been boozing before he attacked James O'Hara

The White Bear, where Michael Hannan had been boozing before he attacked James O'Hara (Image: Google)

Mr O'Hara was then knocked to the floor by a single punch by Hannan, with the attacker and his friend running off, leaving a motionless Mr O'Hara on the ground.

Passers-by ran to his aid and Mr O'Hara was taken to hospital where he was treated for a fractured eye socket, fractured nose, fracture through the temporal bone and a fracture to the back of the skull, among other injuries.

His injuries lead to him developing acute bacterial meningitis, which was his cause of death four days later, which the pathologist said was as a direct result of the injuries sustained in the attack.

Meanwhile, less than two hours after the attack Hannan was taking photos of himself in a boxing stance and flexing his muscles and sending messages like, ‘I just knocked some guy clean out’, ‘just wiped some c**t cold out’ and that it ‘felt gorgeous’ to feel the bones in someone’s face break.

Lancashire Telegraph: James O'Hara had gone out to buy a record when he was brutally attacked
Lancashire Telegraph: James O'Hara had gone out to buy a record when he was brutally attacked

James O'Hara had gone out to buy a record when he was brutally attacked

He was described in court as a ‘thug revelling in his own thuggery’ and ‘someone who enjoys violence, and believed causing hurt to people was something to be proud of’, and has previous convictions for serious violence.

In his mitigation, the court was told he was very remorseful and wanted to apologise to Mr O'Hara’s family, and as soon as he heard police were looking for him he handed himself in.

The Attorney General’s Office will now consider if the sentence passed is deemed unduly lenient. If it does, the referral will be sent to the Court of Appeal.

There, judges will either extend the sentence, leave it the same, or throw the case out without even hearing it.