A man who punched his childhood friend and killed him while out celebrating his 21st birthday has been jailed for four years and nine months.

Patrick Conway, 22, of St John’s Road, East Molesey, was found guilty of manslaughter after a five-week trial at Kingston Crown Court after he punched the 20-year-old student during a night out in Teddington in November 2012.

The fatal blow followed a 30-man brawl outside the Royal Oak in the high street, which onlookers described as a mini riot.

In a chilling remark during video evidence of the violence played in court a female voice can be heard shouting “Someone’s going to get killed”.

Conway admitted one count of violent disorder after his involvement in the fight.

He was given four years, nine months for manslaughter and 12 months for the violent disorder to run concurrently when he was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court today, April 16.

Judge Nicholas Price said: “This case is a tragedy, not just a tragedy for the young man who lost his life and his family, but also a tragedy for you.

“Although you undoubtedly caused the death of your friend, that appalling consequence was both unintentional and unintended.

“But your temper snapped and you struck the final blow, however forceful it was, which directly caused his death.

“It is clear it was sufficient to break a finger of yours.”

Max Mears, 20, of Temple Sheen Road, Mortlake, and Callum Hurley, 20, of Fulmer Close, Hampton, were both found guilty of violent disorder.

Mears was sentenced to 18 months in a young offenders institute, while Hurley, who was on a suspended sentence at the time of the offence, was given 15 months in a young offenders institute.

James Hales, 22, of Rectory Grove, Hampton Hill pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to two counts of grievous bodily harm and one count of violent disorder.

Hales, who has been serving a custodial sentence for almost a year, was seen in footage from an iPhone chasing someone around a car, waving around a crutch and shouting in a violent manner.

He threw a punch in the fight, hit another person around the head with a crutch.

In video evidence, a sickening crack could be heard as a victim of Hales smacked his head on the ground after an attack by him.

He was jailed for a total of three years and nine months.

In a heartbreaking statement read out in court, Carol Lawless paid tribute to her son, who lost his life that night.

It read: “The pain is crushing, the grief ongoing.

“The grief equates to my love for Patrick.

“The loss of my child is by far the worst experience of my life.”

The St Mary’s University student had Asperger's, ADHD and Tourette’s.

Mrs Lawless’s statement continued: “Patrick was positive and always trying to better himself.”

She said she would miss his voice and watching Question Time with him and hearing his views on what was being said.

The judge praised the conduct of the Lawless family throughout the trial.

He said: “Mrs Lawless painted a clear and evocative picture of what that young man was really like and how his death has left the family and others around him utterly bereft.”

All four defendants must also pay the statutory victim surcharge.