Man jailed after killing "peacemaker" during pub fight in Nottinghamshire
A man, who punched another man during a fight in a village pub in Nottinghamshire and killing him, has been jailed.
A man - who witnesses described as "looking for a fight" - has been jailed after initiating a brawl in a Nottinghamshire village pub, and killing someone.
Dilon Price, 30, entered the Market Inn on Main Street in Huthwaite at around 9pm on 8 June last year and started an argument with someone almost straight away. He hit the man before they were separated but then followed him into the beer garden to continue the fight.
Others tried to intervene, including 34-year-old Harley Fox, who Nottinghamshire Police described as a "peacemaker" in the ordeal. He stood in front of Price, telling him "that's enough".
Price, of Sutton-in-Ashfield, then shoved and punched Harley, causing him to stumble backwards into a picnic table and fall to the ground where he hit his head on the concrete.
Harley lost consciousness and never woke up, dying in hospital two days later on 10 June.
In a statement, Harley's mother said: “Harley’s death has shattered our family. He was a young, healthy person and would not cause any trouble to anyone.
“Never again will I hear him come through the door saying, ‘I’m starving mum, what’s to eat’, and I will never feel his big strong arms giving me a squishy Harley cuddle.
“Harley has a close family and a beautiful daughter; he had such a bright future ahead of him.
“Harley should be alive, he should be able to live his life, see his family grow, be able to walk his daughter down the aisle for her wedding and experience the love and pride of becoming a grandad.
“I am so proud of the man my son Harley became. He was clever, funny, kind, and friendly and he had the biggest heart. He would help anyone and would always be loyal and protective to those in need.
"Harley was like the fourth emergency service in our family. We all knew if there was ever a problem such as a car issue or house repairs, or even just dealing with a moth, then Harley would be there to help.
“This has all been taken away because of one man’s stupid and aggressive actions.”
Harley’s sister also provided a victim impact statement to the court. It said: “Harley was more than a brother to me, he was my best friend. He was a rare human being and the world lost something special when he died.
“I have no more energy or time to hate but it is because of Dilon’s stupid and aggressive actions, that a life has been lost.
“I would not wish what me and my family have had to go through on any person."
Harley’s fiancée also provided a statement to the court, in which she said: “Sunday 8th June 2025 is a date that will stay with me forever. It is the day the man I loved, cherished, and shared my life with was killed in an unprovoked attack.
“Harley is referred to as ‘the victim’ in this case, but he was so much more than that. Harley was an honest, funny, and loving man. He was hard-working, thoughtful, and always put others before himself. He made sure our daughter and I were safe, cared for, and happy. We had a loving home, shared holidays, laughter, and plans for the future. All of this was ripped away in an instant by Dilon Price.”
Following the sentencing, Detective Inspector Matt Scott, who led the investigation, said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of Harley, who has lost his life in such tragic circumstances.
“A life has been cut short following what should have been an enjoyable evening at the pub. The behaviour displayed by Dilon Price was totally unacceptable and his actions have led to untold misery for Harvey’s family and friends.
“He turned their lives upside down and although no length of sentence will ever fully repair the huge loss they have suffered, I hope today's sentence goes some way towards bringing closure to what has been, and continues to be, an extremely difficult time for them.
“It took many months of court hearings for Dilon to finally plead guilty. Had he been remorseful, he would have admitted his actions a lot sooner.
“This was a complex investigation with a lot of moving parts but ultimately the family will hopefully have some closure.
“Thankfully, incidents of this nature are rare, but I'd like to reassure the public that we'll always prioritise bringing offenders to justice and do everything we can to protect our communities from harm.”
A court heard Price went on the run after the fight and only handed himself into Mansfield Police Station three days after.
He initially claimed to have acted in self-defence but that was proven untrue by witness testimonies and CCTV footage.
He eventually pleaded guilty to manslaughter and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the second person he assaulted during the incident.
Price has been jailed for five years and 11 months.