Son who killed his father in beer garden on Christmas Eve shortly after meeting him for the first time jailed for six years
Martin Greensmith, 37, has been jailed for six years for manslaughter after pushing his biological father, Steven Shevels, outside a County Durham pub on Christmas Eve. The two had met for the first time only hours earlier, after Greensmith’s mother told him Shevels was his father; the fatal fall followed an argument in the pub garden.
Shevels, 61, fell backwards, struck his head on the concrete and died at the scene despite attempts to resuscitate him. CCTV showed the push, and jurors rejected Greensmith’s claim that it was a gentle act of self-defence. The judge said Greensmith had been angry and aggressive, while a pre-sentence report suggested he may have felt overwhelmed by the revelation.
In short
- Greensmith received six years for his father’s manslaughter.
- The fatal push followed their first meeting on Christmas Eve.
- A jury rejected his claim of self-defence.
Explained simply
Manslaughter is a form of unlawful killing in which a person causes another’s death but is not convicted of murder. The sentence depends on the circumstances of the case and the offender’s responsibility.
The people involved were Martin Greensmith and Steven Shevels, his biological father. They had met for the first time only hours before the incident, after Greensmith learnt of their relationship from his mother.
The case concerns a fatal fall after Greensmith pushed Shevels during an argument at a pub. CCTV footage and the jury’s assessment of Greensmith’s account were central to the trial.