John Boniface has been locked up – again – following the death of his brother Paul Hinds
John Boniface(Image: GMP)
A man who stabbed his brother in the neck during a drunk Christmas Day bust-up has been jailed following his sibling’s death more than six years on from the incident.
John Boniface, 60, was convicted of manslaughter after experts concluded the 2cm cut his Paul Hinds suffered resulted in his death.
Boniface admitted committing grievous bodily harm following the incident on December 25, 2015. He was jailed for three years in 2016 and released on licence in October 2017.
Manchester Crown Court heard the incident had a ‘catastrophic’ impact on Mr Hinds. The knife severed his spinal court and left him paralysed from the chest down.
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He died from pneumonia in May 2022 at the age of 61. The court heard medical experts concluded the wound inflicted by his brother had a direct result on his death.
They said paralysis weakens the respiratory system and impedes the ability to cough and clear the lungs. Boniface has now been jailed for two years and four months for manslaughter.
Michael Lavery, prosecuting, earlier told the court Mr Hinds went to Boniface’s home in Bradford, Manchester, to celebrate Christmas.
“They spent the day drinking together and listening to music,” he said. Photos from the scene showed a large number’ of empty beer cans and an empty whisky bottle.
“Tensions between the brothers escalated and this led to the defendant stabbing Hinds in the back of his neck with a kitchen knife,” Mr Lavery added. “The defendant accepts he was drunk at the time.
“It appears there was not a significant amount of bleeding from the small cut,” Judge Elizabeth Nicholls said. “Perhaps he did not realise the seriousness of the injury.”
Mr Lavery added: “It was catastrophic. It completely severed [his] spinal cord, resulting in total paralysis from the chest down, and life-altering medical complications.”
Mr Hinds was diagnosed with complete tetraplegia – a loss of function of the arms, torso and legs. Following treatment at Manchester Royal Infirmary and the spinal injury centre in Southport, he returned to his home. A hospital bed and hoist were fitted.
‘Best friends’
Mr Hinds’ partner Leslie Fox said in a statement: “I used to take him out to the sea front in Southport. He was not in a good place mentally.
“As far as he was concerned, his life was over. He asked me one day to bring him some tablets as he just wanted to die. He was then given anti-depressants but Paul soon lost interest in getting out of bed. He was able to spoon food into his mouth, but this was all he could do for himself.
“We did not go out much apart from hospital visits as he did not want people looking at him. He was embarrassed about being in a wheelchair.”
Ms Fox, who had been in a relationship with Mr Hinds for over 30 years, said he had worked at the Princes soft drinks factory in Newton Heath.
She added: “He had a normal life that was completely devastated by this. He had a close relationship with his brother, they used to spend weekends together and would watch football in the pub.
“I feel very sad about the situation as they were very close and were best friends. I will never fully know what happened that day to make John pick up the knife. When I asked him, he said he didn’t know why.
“I do not believe sending him back to prison would achieve anything. He is already serving a life sentence wherever he is.”
Following Mr Hinds’ death, Boniface was charged with manslaughter. He pleaded guilty after experts established a causal link between the stabbing and his sibling’s eventual death.
“My dad’s life was completely destroyed by a person who was supposed to love and care for him,” Mr Hinds’ son Paul said in a statement.
“It took away his independence. He previously had a healthy life and looked after himself but due to his injury he found it very difficult to fight infections that he otherwise would have been able to.
“If it were not for John’s actions, he would still be alive.”
Defence counsel Hugh Barton said: “It is rare to get a case so tragic and unusual. The two brothers were best friends and were always very close.
“The deceased appears to have been the aggressor in the argument on that day but the defendant accepts that in picking up the knife, he went beyond self-defence.
“He described it as an instinctive defensive action – a single blow which, a few inches away, would not have had the same catastrophic consequences.”
The court heard Boniface had no previous convictions prior to the incident. Mr Bardon added: “He attempted to assist the victim, showed remorse, and there was a lack of pre-meditation.
“He will carry this burden until the day he dies. What he did had terrible consequences on the brother he loved. He is a changed man because of it but does not wallow in self pity. This is just a tragic, tragic case.”
Judge Nicholls said: “It is difficult to imagine a more catastrophic change in someone’s life. [Mr Hinds’] children said their dad’s life was destroyed.
“His partner said he had lost all interest in his life and no longer wanted to go out, so they were both effectively housebound. Their lives closed down around them.
“Ms Fox showed extraordinary compassion and generosity of spirit by speaking of [Boniface’s] suffering. But Hinds’ death was a direct result of the complications of the injury.
“He was at risk of life-threatening infections and it was from this that he eventually died, of pneumonia. This case demonstrates the dangers of knives. It was a single act that destroyed a beloved brother’s life.”
Judge Nicholls said sentencing was ‘a difficult exercise’. “The incident caused seven years of suffering and a life half-lived and the sentence must reflect that,” she added.
“But there are no victors in this case and no sentence will restore Paul to life. I have no doubt that that act was not pre-meditated but arose out of a dispute fuelled by alcohol. You called for assistance and admitted your culpability.
“You have suffered from depression and anxiety and have symptoms of PTSD following this. You are genuinely remorseful and continue to feel grief and guilt for what you did to your brother.”
John Boniface, of Claybrook Walk, Manchester, was sentenced to two years and four months in prison, of which he will serve half on licence.
That was reduced from a starting point of 10 years to five years and four months, after applying a third credit for his guilty plea. Judge Nicholls deducted a further three years to reflect time served of the original sentence for GBH.
“Your level of criminality is exactly the same as it was upon your initial sentence,” she added. “You have done nothing further since to contribute to Hinds’ death.”
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