Dylan Maxwell, 28, has been sentenced to 13 years and 10 months after being found guilty of manslaughter and drug offenses. The sentence stems from a fatal altercation in the early hours of November 19, 2023, in Pontefract, West Yorkshire.
Maxwell repeatedly struck Luke Thompson, a 25-year-old father of two, knocking him down twice. Thompson sustained a fractured skull and a bleed on the brain, ultimately dying in the hospital ten days later. His family has released footage of the attack to serve as a warning about the rapid and devastating consequences of violence. "We have given permission to show people out there that one punch can kill, hoping it doesn't happen to anyone else's family," said his sister, Denise.
According to court testimony, Maxwell, who was described as a "street-level dealer," had taken a taxi to meet a woman. As the woman entered the taxi, Thompson approached the scene. A verbal exchange preceded Maxwell launching the fatal assault. A taxi driver stated that Thompson had threatened to hit Maxwell after their exchange. Following the attack, Maxwell left Thompson on a dual carriageway, where he was subsequently run over by a car, sustaining injuries that did not contribute to his death.
Judge Robin Mars noted that Maxwell's decision to leave Thompson to be run over demonstrated "the malice of the attack." Maxwell fled the scene in a taxi, using a false name, but was arrested and charged in May 2025. "Luke Thompson was no threat to you at any stage," the judge told Maxwell. "You had struck and knocked him down and made whatever misguided or arrogant point you wanted to make."
In a victim impact statement, Thompson's mother, Michelle, described the ongoing pain the family endures. "We live with the pain of losing him every day. It is a scar in our lives that will never leave," she stated. She added that Thompson never had the chance to meet his third child, who was born weeks after his death. "Three children will now grow up not knowing their dad. No sentence will ever take away the pain we have suffered over the past three years."
Maxwell was under investigation for drug dealing at the time of the incident. A search of his home in December 2021 uncovered cash, cocaine, cannabis, mobile phones, a knuckle duster, knives, and steroids. He pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis, and two counts of possessing steroids. He received 11 years for manslaughter and an additional 2 years and 10 months for the drug offenses.
Detective Chief Inspector James Entwistle of West Yorkshire Police commented, "My thoughts remain with Luke Thompson's friends and loved ones. I hope today's sentence provides some small comfort to them as they move forward with their lives following their devastating loss." He urged the public to "take a moment, walk away from confrontation and think about the lasting impact of their actions. No argument is worth a life."