Sentences of Jack Jermy-Doyle killers will not be referred

Jake Parkinson, 22, of Bow Lane, Preston was found guilty of the manslaughter of Jack Jermy-Doyle in March, after a trial at Preston Crown Court.

Jak Fairclough, 29, of Blackpool Road, Preston, had previously admitted manslaughter.

They were jailed on Wednesday, March 20 - Parkinson for eight years and Fairclough for six years and four months. 

Following their incarceration, a member of the public referred the length of their sentences to the Attorney General under the unduly lenient sentence scheme.

Under the scheme, should the Attorney General – Victoria Prentis - have considered both Fairclough and Parkinson’s sentences to be unduly lenient, their cases would then have been sent to the Court of Appeal for further consideration.

The highest court in the land would have then either extended the sentences, left them the same, or refused to hear the case at all.

However, the Attorney General’s office made the decision not to refer Fairclough or Parkinson’s cases to the Court of Appeal.

This means their sentences will remain the same - eight years for Parkinson, and six years and four months for Fairclough.

Jack Jermy-Doyle (Image: Lancs Police)

Jack Jermy-Doyle, 25, was training to be a barrister and was planning to get married and move in with his partner.

He volunteered for a water sports charity and had been involved in scouting his whole life.

In the early hours of August 12, 2022, Jack was in Preston enjoying a night out with a friend when he was assaulted in an unprovoked attack by two men.

Fairclough and Parkinson had also been on a night out but unlike Jack they were spoiling for a fight and had been involved in a number of aggressive and homophobic incidents before they encountered Jack in Harris Street.

Sadly, as a result of the assault, Mr Jermy-Doyle suffered un-survivable brain injuries. He was kept alive on life support until his mum could return from Malawi, where she was volunteering with the Scouts building orphanages.

Jack died on August 14. He was two weeks short of his 26th birthday.

His organs were donated to help others after his mum said she knew this is something he would approve of. A final selfless act from a man who spent so much time helping others.

His death was a second devastating tragedy for his family who lost Jack’s brother to suicide three years before.

In a victim impact statement, his mum said: “The actions and consequences of that devastating Friday morning have totally destroyed me and my family.

“We have lost the ability to find joy in anything, significant dates are torture and often I can't even face the day, so curl up in my bed sobbing.

“Jack was our glue, our light, and our future. Jack had immense potential that I will never be able to see. He was my saviour and he made me proud, every single day.

“My boys should be here, growing into the loving fathers I knew they would be, but I will never hear or see those grandchildren.

“The house is now so quiet, missing the laughter, the music and debates that I had with Jack. Those evenings when he would cook tea, knowing I would be exhausted.

“I drown in grief every day, the emptiness and pain that is left inside my heart, and that of my family, will never go away.”

Detective Inspector Bryony Midgley, of the Force Major Investigation Team, said: “My thoughts today are with all of Jack’s family and loved ones. He was a kind and generous man who was obviously very dearly loved and whose life was needlessly snatched away as a result of the senseless and violent actions of Parkinson and Fairclough.

“Once again, this case shows the absolutely devastating consequences which can result from a single punch. 

“Jack’s death was entirely preventable and has ruined the lives of so many people, most of all his family, who have had their loved one taken away from them in the prime of his life.”

She added: “Finally I would just say that if you find yourself on a night out and in a heated situation, remember the consequences of violence, and ask yourself is it worth it?

“Think about Jack and ask yourself is this worth potentially taking someone’s loved one away from them, and taking yourself away from your own family to serve a prison sentence? Is it worth having a criminal record? It never is so just walk away.”