Convicted killer knocks out football fan with single punch in unprovoked attack

Shocking CCTV shows the moment a convicted killer knocked a football fan unconscious in an unprovoked attack in a busy street.

Newcastle United fan Simon Walters was minding his own business outside a pub in Cardiff city centre when Robert Chambers, 30, walked up to him and punched him to the floor.

Unsuspecting Mr Walters, who was wearing his Newcastle shirt, was hit so hard by the "sickening blow" that he was knocked out and suffered whiplash.

The brutal attack happened outside The Cottage pub after a Premier League match between Cardiff City and Newcastle on August 18 last year.

Chambers had previously been jailed for the manslaughter of Paul Barnes in 2006 in another one punch attack, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

He had been sent to a young offender institution for two years and six months when he was 18 after pleading guilty to manslaughter in that case.

Judge David Wynn Morgan told the court there were "chilling similarities" between the attacks.

Prosecutor Nigel Fryer described the attack as “clear gratuitous violence”.

He told the court that Mr Walters attended the football match with his brother and friends, and they were “minding their own business” while drinking and smoking outside the pub afterwards.

He said: “The defendant approached Mr Walters and, without any provocation, punched him once in what can only be described as a sickening blow.”

The video shows Chambers, from Cardiff, pointing at Mr Walters and his friends – who were wearing a Newcastle shirt – before walking up to him and punching him in the head.

Mr Walters' brother told the court that blood was “pouring” from the unconscious victim's mouth, and he had to stop him from choking.

Mr Walters was taken to hospital to be treated for injuries including a wound to the back of his head, a swollen jaw and a cut elbow.

Mr Fryer said: “The next thing he could remember, he was in the back of an ambulance.”

Mr Walters' tongue was “in agony” and he had blood all over his shirt as he realised one of his friends was crying.

He could hardly remember what happened and blacked out in hospital, the court was told.

Mr Walters was released from hospital the following morning but remained in “a lot of pain” over the following days and had trouble eating due to his tongue injury.

He suffered whiplash due to the “ferocity of the punch” and problems with his neck affected his job, said Mr Fryer.

Chambers did not answer any questions in his police interview after he was arrested.

He admitted inflicting grievous bodily harm and the judge made a 56-month extended sentence, made up of a 32-month jail term and a 24-month licence period.

The judge also imposed an eight-year Football Banning Order.

Mr Fryer said the circumstances of the attack and the killing of Mr Barnes were “frighteningly similar".

The prosecutor told the court: ”The defendant exploded into violence without any real provocation.”

Dad-of-one Mr Barnes died when he confronted youths after his car window was smashed by rival gangs fighting in the street in Tremorfa in July 2006.

A CCTV camera nearby recorded audio of the attack with a young voice shouting: "Fight him, Rob."

Chambers, then aged 17 and a trainee plumber, knocked Mr Barnes to the floor with a single punch.

He was heard shouting: "Get up and have some more. Get up you p****. I knocked him clean out."

Mr Barnes fell backwards and hit his head on the kerb.

He suffered bleeding on the brain and died 12 days later.

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