The man who killed a 19-year-old boy in a one-punch attack in Melbourne has been sentenced to at least five years behind bars.
Andrew William Lee, 34, was given a maximum of eight years jail when he was sentenced for manslaughter on Friday.
Patrick Cronin, 19, was ‘coward punched’ outside the Windy Mile pub in Diamond Creek, Melbourne during a fight involving up to 30 people early last year.
Lee changed his plea to guilty as he faced the Supreme Court of Victoria in September.
Mr Cronin is believed to have not been involved in the fight which ultimately ended his life, but was thought to have been trying to pull friends away from it.
Andrew Lee (left) was sentenced to at least five years behind bars after killing Patrick Cronin, 19 (right)
Mr Cronin was trying to pull a friend out of a fight at the Windy Mile pub (pictured) when he was fatally struck
Justice Lex Lasry told the court in his sentencing remarks that Lee had watched the fight before jumping in and hitting Mr Cronin.
He said it would have been clear to the 34-year-old his victim was not participating but was trying to put an end to the brawl.
‘There was no need to do so,’ Justice Lasry said.
‘You should’ve remained standing and watching, or preferably followed Patrick Cronin’s example and tried to prevent the fight from continuing.
‘The one person who suffered the terrible consequences of this action was the person who showed no aggression whatsoever.’
Lee had initially faced murder charges, however it was later lowered to manslaughter at the beginning of his committal hearing in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court earlier this year.
CCTV footage of Lee throwing the punch was shown to the jury, who were later discharged from the trial.
The images show Lee connecting with Mr Cronin’s temple as he tried to pull a friend away from the brawl.
Lee (right) changed his plea to guilty when he faced the Supreme Court of Victoria in September
Patrick Cronin (left) had played his first senior football game alongside his sibling Lucas (right) before heading to Windy Mile pub in Diamond Creek in Melbourne on Saturday where the brawl erupted
Mr Cronin suffered severe bleeding to the brain from the blow which proved to be fatal the following day as he died in hospital.
The teenager had taken part in his first senior football match alongside his brother Lucas prior to the altercation.
At the teenager’s funeral, which was attended by about 2,000 mourners, Lucas spoke fondly of the last time he spent with his brother, The Herald Sun reported at the time.
‘Without question my most enjoyable memory of Pat was of the last time kicking the footy together only two Saturday’s ago,’ he told the crowd.
‘This was my final memory of Pat and a fitting one at that.
While Lower Plenty might have lost that game by over 100 points I still remember driving home with Pat sitting next to me and thinking ‘How bloody good was that?’.
‘I will always remember that day… for how determination and hard work got us both to where we wanted to be.’
Pictured: Mr Cronin’s parents Robyn and Matt leaving the Supreme Court of Victoria earlier in Lee’s trial