Man Killed In One-punch Attack Because He Didn’t Have A Cigarette – Just Yards From Police Station

A 65-year-old man was punched to death in an unprovoked attack because he didn’t smoke – yards from a local police station.

Merseyside Police confirmed Len Saunders, 65, from St Helens died yesterday after an assault on Friday, 21 July 2017.

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Speaking to the St Helens Star, a friend told of their disbelief and shock that anybody could hurt such a “kind and nice man”.

In a statement given before his death, the friend said: “None of us can sleep at all, I’m so shocked something like this can happen to a man on his way home. It doesn’t even make sense.”

Len was walking with his friend along Ward Street just before 7pm when they were approached by two younger men.

One of the men asked the victim and his friend if they smoked and if he could borrow a cigarette.

When the pair said they didn’t smoke, the victim was then punched in the head by one of the offenders and fell to the ground.

The two offenders then ran off along Ward Street while the victim’s friend call the emergency services.

The 65-year-old was taken to a local hospital with a serious head injury before being transferred to Walton Neurological Centre in Liverpool for treatment.

The victim had been unconscious and sadly died on Sunday. A Home Office post mortem will take place to establish the cause of death.

Detectives launched an investigation into the assault and are appealing for anyone who was in the area around Ward Street shortly before or after the attack to come forward if they saw two young men aged in their late teens or early twenties acting suspiciously.

The first offender is described as white, slim, and around 5ft 8ins tall.

He was wearing a dark-coloured baseball cap and an all grey tracksuit.

The second man was also in his late teens or early twenties and around 5ft 8ins tall but of medium build.

He was wearing a blue coat with a hood, dark-coloured jogging bottoms and had long dark hair.

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