Man found guilty of Army veteran's punch murder

A man has been found guilty of murdering an Iraq War veteran, who died after being punched three times.

Gregory Twigg, 32, was convicted by a jury at Stafford Crown Court on Thursday and will be sentenced on 19 September.

Twigg confronted Lee Woodward, 39, in Stoke-on-Trent on 24 June 2022 and left the retired Army veteran with brain damage, from which he did not recover.

Mr Woodward died in April 2023, Stafford Crown Court heard.

Twigg, previously of Blurton, Stoke-on-Trent, was jailed in September 2022, when he admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent, before Mr Woodward's death led to the murder trial.

During his evidence, Twigg said he was a passenger in a Vauxhall Astra being driven by a friend, Nathan Lockley, and was heading for a night out in Newcastle-under-Lyme when they encountered Mr Woodward, who had walked past their car in Hill Street.

Mr Woodward had shouted a profanity at them and commented on Mr Lockley's driving, saying he would "knock us all out", Twigg told the jury.

This led Mr Lockley to park in a nearby street before a confrontation took place.

Twigg was caught on camera throwing what prosecution counsel David Mason described as "powerful and cowardly" punches at Mr Woodward, who was in "no position to defend himself" after the first punch knocked him to the ground.

"This is an extremely tragic case that has caused immeasurable pain and loss to Lee's family," said Det Sgt Garry Jackson, of Staffordshire Police.

"They have had to go through this ordeal in court on two separate occasions and I'm glad that we were able to secure this conviction for them after so much heartache."

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