Two men involved in a street fight in Ilkeston that led to the death of 19-year-old Liam Derrett have been sentenced at Derby Crown Court.
Joshua Harris, 24, of Little Hallam Lane, Ilkeston, was jailed for six years after pleading guilty to manslaughter.
Kai Donachie, 24, of Bilborough Road, Nottingham, was sentenced to four months after admitting affray. As he had already spent more than six months on remand, he will not serve any further time in custody.
Sentencing the pair, His Honour Judge Shaun Smith KC described the incident as a “drunken yobbish brawl” and said Liam was “incontrovertibly acting as a peacemaker” and was “completely innocent”.
The incident
The court heard that Liam was attacked in Market Place, Ilkeston, in the early hours of Sunday 1 June 2025 while out with friends.
Earlier in the evening, violence had broken out inside the Market Inn pub between two groups of young men who had a history of tension. The disorder later spilled out into the street, where a number of people became involved in altercations.
Witnesses said Liam was not involved in the dispute. Instead, he attempted to intervene, urging those involved to calm down.
CCTV footage showed Liam being punched twice by Donachie, causing him to stumble backwards. He was then struck by Harris, causing him to fall to the ground and hit his head.
Medical response
Liam was rendered unconscious by the blow and was taken to the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham in a critical condition.
He died two days later on 3 June after suffering a fractured skull and bleeding to the brain.
Court evidence
Prosecutors told the court that witnesses described Liam as sober at the time and said he posed no threat to anyone.
One witness said the punch delivered by Harris came from behind and was struck with full force. “He said afterwards others could be heard chanting ‘yes Josh’ after the blow. Others told police that Liam had been heard saying things such as “stop fighting lads, chill out, it’s not worth it” moments before he collapsed.
The court also heard that neither defendant attempted to assist Liam after the assault.
Charges and pleas
Both men were initially charged with murder in the days following the incident.
However, the prosecution later accepted guilty pleas to lesser offences during a hearing in October.
Harris pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was noted to have no previous convictions.
Donachie pleaded guilty to affray and was said to have previous convictions.
Family statement
A victim impact statement was read to the court on behalf of Liam’s family.
They described Liam as “cheeky, lively and funny”, someone who “saw the good in everyone” and had a passion for adventure sports.
They said he was an innocent party who had been “needlessly taken” and spoke of the devastating impact his death has had on their close-knit family.
The case has had a lasting impact on the Ilkeston community, where Liam was well known.
Our thoughts remain with Liam’s family and friends.
