The road rage cyclist who killed popular Hove greengrocer Tony Magdi has been jailed for 18 months.
Paul Lambeth, 36, of Stafford Road, Brighton, was sent to prison by Judge Michael Lawson at Hove Crown Court today (Friday 3 June).
Lambeth admitted manslaughter at an earlier hearing.
Mr Magdi, 52, who lived and ran his greengrocer’s in Portland Road, Hove, died three weeks after being punched by Lambeth.
The attack took place across the road from Mr Magdi’s home and shop on Sunday 7 November last year.
Mr Magdi was attacked after opening the door of his car into the path of three cyclists, causing them to swerve.
One of the cyclists, Lambeth, punched Mr Magdi in the face, flooring him with that single punch.
As he lay unconscious the three cyclists fled but a passing doctor stopped to help.
Mr Magdi was taken to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton and transferred to Hurstwood Park Neurosciences Centre in Haywards Heath.
He died at Hurstwood Park on Sunday 28 November.
In mitigation, Lewis Power said that Lambeth had been hearing voices in his head for ten years but had not been taking his medication for his psychosis.
The judge said that Lambeth did not give himself up straight away but only after he had been identified as a suspect and the police were looking for him.
He said that this was an aggravating factor.
He did, though, give Lambeth credit for pleading guilty at the first opportunity.
Detective Constable Leon Ryan said: “My heartfelt sympathy goes to the friends and family of Tony who continue to miss him dearly.
“He was an exceptional much-loved local character and his death has been mourned by the whole community.
“It is tragic for a life to end so unnecessarily as the result of a single punch.
“Sussex Police accepts today’s sentencing and we would like to offer our sincere thanks to the many members of the public who assisted in this investigation.”
I hope Paul Lambeth’s future will be better than his past and that this pause in his life will provide a “40 days and 40 nights” moment in which he will fashion and organise it.