A Bradford man has been jailed after admitting the manslaughter of a 72-year-old man who was fatally injured during an assault on the doorstep of his home in Wakefield.
Stephen Jedynak died in Pinderfields Hospital on December 27 last year after being found unresponsive at his home in Thorntree Court, Crofton, on December 24.
A subsequent police investigation established that he had been assaulted outside the property the previous day.
Hamza Shafique, now 28, of Maidstone Street in Bradford, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Leeds Crown Court and was sentenced to six years and three months in prison.
CCTV Showed Fatal Assault
CCTV footage taken from a distance showed Mr Jedynak being assaulted outside his home during an altercation on December 23.
Police said Shafique punched him to the side of the head.
The force said the blow caused Mr Jedynak to hit his head against the front door before slumping to the ground.
Shafique then moved him inside the address and closed the door before driving away.
Mr Jedynak remained inside the property for several hours before he was later found unresponsive.
Murder Investigation Launched
The Coroner’s Office referred Mr Jedynak’s death to police on December 31.
A murder investigation was launched on January 4 by detectives from West Yorkshire Police’s Homicide and Major Enquiry Team after a forensic post-mortem examination identified serious head injuries consistent with an assault.
Enquiries to trace the vehicle involved led officers to Shafique.
He was arrested on January 8 alongside two other men, aged 32 and 23.
All three were arrested on suspicion of murder and on suspicion of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.
A fourth man, aged 36, was arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender.
The three men were later released on bail in relation to the drugs matters, with those enquiries continuing.
Shafique Charged With Manslaughter
Shafique was charged with manslaughter on January 9 and remanded in custody ahead of trial.
At Leeds Crown Court, he pleaded guilty to the offence and was sentenced to six years and three months.
Police Say Victim Was Vulnerable
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Chief Inspector Stacey Atkinson said Mr Jedynak had been left fatally injured inside his home.
“Stephen Jedynak was assaulted on the doorstep of his home and lay fatally injured for several hours inside the address before later being found unresponsive,” she said.
She said detectives had established the circumstances of the assault and identified Shafique as the person responsible.
“Stephen was a vulnerable 72-year-old man who lived alone and who did not deserve to lose his life in such a harsh and unnecessary way as a result of Shafique’s violent actions,” she added.
Police said they hoped the sentence would provide some measure of comfort to Mr Jedynak’s family.
Family Pay Tribute
Mr Jedynak’s family said he was a father, brother and uncle who was deeply missed.
In a statement, they said: “Stephen was 72 years old when he passed away as a result of someone’s reckless actions.
“He was a dad, brother, and uncle and he is missed by our family, especially at gatherings where he used to reminisce about our childhood to the younger generation.”
The family also thanked the police investigation team, Pinderfields Hospital’s bereavement team, the Crown Prosecution Service and their family liaison officer, DC Jan Burrill.
