Castleford man found guilty of manslaughter after fatal Pontefract fight
Dylan Maxwell repeatedly hit Luke Thompson in a confrontation during a night out
Last updated 11th May 2026
A Castleford man has been found guilty of manslaughter after leaving another man fatally injured amid a fight during a night out.
Dylan Maxwell, 28, has been found guilty of manslaughter following the death of 25 year old Luke Thompson in Pontefract.
The court heard that both men, who didn't know each other, were out in Pontefract town centre during the early hours of November 19 2023.
Maxwell, a pub door supervisor, left his shift to visit a club and was departing in a taxi with a woman he had met earlier.
While stopping on Front Street Thompson approached the scene, with Maxwell then moving towards him and hitting him repeatedly.
Thompson suffered a fractured skull and a brain bleed, ultimately succumbing to his injuries on November 29 2023 at Leeds General Infirmary.
Despite being struck by a passing car after the assault, subsequent injuries did not contribute to his death.
Maxwell, of Wood View Avenue in Castleford, argued self-defence, claiming he “pre-empted an assault,” but the jury did not accept his account.
He will be sentenced on June 23.
Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle, of West Yorkshire Police, said:
"First and foremost, my thoughts are with Luke Thompson’s friends and loved ones.
"What started as a normal Saturday night out turned into confrontation, violence and, ultimately, the tragic and unnecessary loss of a young man’s life. I hope today’s verdict brings them some comfort.
"As licensed door staff, Maxwell was trained in conflict management and should have known how to defuse the situation. Instead, he let his anger and his ego take over.”