A jobless thug with a history of violence has been sentenced to six years imprisonment for killing New Eltham banker Oliver Dearlove with a single punch in an “unprovoked and gratuitous” act.

Trevor Timon, 31, landed a powerful left-hand punch to the 30-year-old’s head sending him to the ground and knocking him out during a night out in Blackheath on August 30, last year.

The defendant, of Heavitree Road, admitted to manslaughter and was cleared of murder on Wednesday following a trial at the Old Bailey in central London.

He was handed a jail term of six years on Friday, February 24, with a further five years on extended licence because he was considered to be a “significant risk” to the public.

Judge Mark Dennis QC told the court: "This was a senseless death that occurred as a result of an act borne out of a flaw in your character which in the past has seen you display unnecessary violent conduct to others when, for reasons best known to you, you have become annoyed or wound yourself up.

“Oliver Dearlove was a young man of fine character with a long and promising future ahead of him. His loss in such senseless circumstances has, caused untold misery for his family and those close to him. Many lives have been turned upside down."

He added Mr Dearlove posed no threat to Timon.

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Mr Dearlove’s girlfriend Claire Wheatley wept as she described her heartbreak at losing her “Mr Right” and a “true gentleman”

She told the court that she received a text from him saying “love you bub”, just hours before officers came to her door.

In a letter read out in court, Timon said: "There is not a single day that I don't think of Oliver, his friends and family and the devastating effects my action has caused."

Mr Dearlove and his friends were on their way home following a university reunion when they began talking to a group of women in the street who had been out celebrating a birthday with Timon.

The court heard Timon had demanded to know what they were talking about and told his victim “if you don’t get out of my face I will knock you out”.

He then punched Mr Dearlove.

A motorist stopped and gave the victim first aid, but he died in hospital within 24 hours.

Following the attack Timon fled to Ireland, but returned days later and handed himself in to Lewisham police station on September 1, after telling one of the women “I’m scared, seriously, proper”.

In 2010, Timon admitted punching a woman in the face and had previous convictions for shouting at a bus driver while brandishing a golf club and throwing a punch at a barman after being refused re-entry to a pub at closing time.

In the early hours of August 28 last year, Mr Dearlove’s friend, Andrew Cook, said Timon was angry and came out of nowhere with “bad intentions”.

He said: "He was looking for a fight. Not a nice guy. We didn't know why, it all happened so quickly."

But when giving evidence, Timon denied intending to do serious harm, saying he was "pissed off" that someone called him a "half chap", in an apparent racist slur.

Mr Dearlove worked as a relationship manager at Duncan Lawrie Private Bank, having previously held a position at Coutts, the bank used by the Queen.