A Snodland man, Ryan Greaves, has been sentenced to four years and ten months in prison for manslaughter following a fatal one-punch attack. The incident occurred on the afternoon of 1 July 2025 at an address in Edwards Close.
Greaves, aged 32 and residing in Thomson Close, was seen punching the victim, Daniel Beard, who then fell to the floor and struck his head. The entire attack lasted approximately two minutes before Greaves fled the scene.
Emergency services arrived promptly, with paramedics treating Beard for severe head trauma. He was subsequently airlifted to a hospital in London. Despite medical efforts, Daniel Beard died from his injuries on 6 October 2025.
Following the attack, Greaves was arrested the next day wearing the same shorts as during the incident. Initially charged with grievous bodily harm, he was released on bail. After Beard’s death, Greaves was re-arrested and charged with murder.
On 12 November 2025, Greaves pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Maidstone Crown Court sentenced him on 14 May 2026 to four years and ten months’ imprisonment.
Detective Sergeant Alastair Worton commented on the case: “Greaves’ sentencing reflects the severity of this attack and highlights how a single action can have such devastating impacts. He has never provided a clear explanation for why he attacked Daniel that day, but nothing deserved that level of violence which resulted in a man losing his life. He cowardly fled the scene and left Daniel, who was clearly in a serious state, which shows he was only thinking about himself in that situation. Our thoughts are with the family of Daniel and we hope that this sentence gives them some sense of justice.”
The family of Daniel Beard released a statement expressing their grief and gratitude: “Our family has endured unimaginable suffering; we lost our kind and loving Daniel, who played a central part in our family life, and had to witness his slow decline and tragic death in intensive care. We want to thank all the medical staff who fought to save Daniel’s life, the kind soul who helped Daniel at the scene, Kent Police and the Crown Prosecution Service for their dedication in securing this conviction and for their kindness, and everyone who supported us throughout this difficult time, especially our and Daniel’s friends, who put their arms around us in our hour of need.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
