Less than a year in prison for electrician who punched banker to death over mobile phone
An electrician who drunkenly killed a “kind and gentle” banking executive in a row over a mobile phone outside an Ivy restaurant in London will spend less than a year in prison.
Steven Allan, 34, was mistakenly convinced that 52-year-old Paul Mason, a boss at Qatar National Bank, had stolen his friend’s mobile phone when he attacked him in West Street, Soho in December 2020.
Mr Mason was on his way home, after dining with a friend at The Ivy, when he was set upon by his attacker, who punched him three times.
He fell backwards and banged his head on the ground. Despite being taken to hospital, he never recovered from his injuries and died six months later.
Allan, a site manager at a construction project, admitted manslaughter, but was acquitted of murder.
He was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison, but is likely to be released in less than a year, having spent time on curfew awaiting trial.
Judge Michael Topolski KC said: “I’m well aware the sentence I’ve just passed will seem like nothing to [Mr Mason’s] family.
‘You’ve broken my family’
In a victim impact statement, Mr Mason’s sister, Rachel Mason, said their brother, Simon, died of an overdose only three months after the tragedy.
She said: “You’ve broken my family for ever more. I’m overwhelmed with feelings of shock, disbelief and hatred towards you. How dare you take Paul’s life?
“I just can’t comprehend someone doing this to another human being, especially someone I loved so much.”
The Old Bailey heard that Allan, from Hook in Hampshire, had been drinking with a friend in the West End on the day in question, but had decided to stay outside when his companion went into another venue.
Paranoid about his friend’s welfare
He became paranoid about the welfare of his friend and convinced himself that the man’s mobile phone had been stolen.
Tragically, Allan rang his friend’s number at the exact moment that Mr Mason happened to be walking past and received a call on his own phone.
In an incident captured on CCTV, Allan was seen approaching Mr Mason and demanding to know if it was his friend’s handset.
Mr Mason attempted to move away from the confrontation, but witnesses saw Allan deliver a series of blows, which caused him to fall and bang his head on the ground.
Allan left the scene, but handed himself in to police the following day, after seeing CCTV images of himself being circulated.
