Luton man jailed for three years after manslaughter conviction

A 40-year-old man from Luton has been jailed for three years over an incident which led to the death of John Stanley in April.
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Last month, Ricky Ward, of Mangrove Road, was found guilty of manslaughter by a majority verdict, today (Monday) he was sentenced to three years in prison.

The widow of Mr Stanley, who was killed with a stone after a row on the street, has said she will miss her husband every day.

Mr Stanley left a friend’s house in Keepers Close, Luton at around 6am on 24 April.

Ricky WardRicky Ward
Ricky Ward

He then walked the short distance to the driveway at Ward’s address in Mangrove Road, where he began shouting and acting aggressively.

Ward left his property and confronted 52-year-old Mr Stanley, trying to usher him away from his property while armed with a pole.

He ended up throwing a stone at Mr Stanley which hit him on the side of the head and caused a fractured skull.

Mr Stanley, who lived in Handcross Road, Luton, died in hospital later that day.

John StanleyJohn Stanley
John Stanley

In a statement read out in court, Mr Stanley’s widow said: “I now have to learn how to live without John but he will always be in my thoughts and heart. I will miss him every day.”

She also praised the work of the police, Crown Prosecution Service and legal team, saying they had shown the family “nothing but respect and dignity throughout this whole process”.

She added: “They have explained everything as best they can, when they can. I will be eternally grateful for all their hard work.”

Detective Inspector Jerry Waite, from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “This case sends a clear message around retaliation and the need to think carefully before you act.

“The jury has accepted that Ward did not intend to kill John Stanley. However, this decision to retaliate has led to the death of one man and another spending time behind bars.

“Just because somebody does something to you, getting involved or seeking revenge could have disastrous consequences.”