Today, a boxer was sentenced to ten years for murdering a young man in a pub. He boasted that it had been a simple punch and said: “It was boom boom.”
Brandon Sillence (25), used his fists on Dean Skillin (20), to deal a devastating blow during a night out.
The attack was launched ‘without provocation’ by the attacker after he had been drinking at The Waverley in Bangor.
The jury was told that Dean hit Taylor Lock, his cousin Taylor Lock, after approving them at the pub. He then took their lives and left Taylor Lock to die.
Brandon Sillence (25) was today sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for the murder of Dean Skillin (20) in Bangor, North Wales.
Sillence said to police that he had literally jabbed. “Boom, boom” is what I’ve done. I just wanted them to f**k off. I looked forward to returning home with my bird, mate.
Sillence approached Sillence and punched them both quickly, according to the court.
Sillence, who was arrested by police and claimed he was protecting his friend, was taken into custody.
He said to Detective Constable Lee Harshey Jones: “Two young men were willing to leave for me, so I gave them each a slap.”
“It was only warning. It wasn’t an aggressive move. I have never tried to harm anyone.
Dean was rushed to the hospital by paramedics. A CT revealed a broken skull and brain bleeding. He was pronounced dead the next day.
‘I’ve hit two people. They were both warned by me. Both fell, one fell and the other just stumbled.
Sillence maintained that he did not intend to murder anyone.
He stated, “I am not bionic man.” He said, “I have only moved my hand.” I didn’t intend for anyone to die.
John Philpotts, the prosecutor of Dean’s case, stated that Dean had been brain dead long before he fell to the ground.
He stated that Dean Skillin was punched by him and his vertebrae were fractured. The bleeding also compromised Dean Skillin’s brain stem, resulting in Skillin being brain dead.
Dean’s cousin, Mr Lock claimed that he felt a hit to his left jaw and then regained consciousness. He saw his relative lying on the ground.
He stated, “A man looked at me very aggressively.” He stated, “You think your big boys are you.”
Caernarfon Crown Court reported that the nearby officer who was investigating heard what sounded like a ‘horrible, hollow thud as people fled from the pub.
The attack was launched ‘without provocation’ by the attacker, who had just been at The Waverley in Bangor (pictured).
Dean was taken to the hospital, where a CT scan revealed that he had a fractured skull with bleeding around his brain. Dean died shortly thereafter.
The post-mortem showed that Dean’s skull was twisted ‘rapidly, violently’ at the top.
Sillence, who had been aggressively acting in September 2013, was accused of causing the violence outside the pub.
Sillence of Bangor was found not guilty of manslaughter but cleared of the crime of murder.
Dean’s dad Harry claimed that his son had ‘no bad bones’ in a victim impact report. In every aspect, he was an amazing son.
He stated, “He was an innocent boy and a beautiful lad.”
Rebecca White was his mother and said that their son, who had once been 6 feet 2in tall, is now smaller than a shoe box.
She is unable to express anger beyond that which she has experienced from others.
Sillence was jailed for ten years by Judge Geraint Wals.
“It wasn’t a warning slap, it was a powerful punch made by an experienced puncher who understood the damage you were capable of if you wanted to do so.”