Thomas Allan, of Govan, was sentenced at the High Court in Edinburgh after he pled guilty to causing the death of Jason Haig. He struck Mr Haig with a single punch on 2 September 2019 at a bar in Rutherglen.

The injuries inflicted, including a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain, caused Mr Haig to die of severe brain damage that same month.

The court heard that the two men had been playing pool together for about twenty minutes when there appeared to be a disagreement.

Allan approached Mr Haig, while holding his pool cue in his right hand; spoke to him for a few seconds, then struck him on the face once with his left hand. Mr Haig fell backwards, hitting his head on the hard floor.

David Green, procurator fiscal for homicide and major crime, said: “A single punch has had catastrophic consequences.

“This type of attack is just as lethal as an assault with a weapon and any instance of a punch to the head can have the kind of ramifications that we have tragically seen with this case.

“The unintended consequences of Thomas Allan’s actions should serve as a stark warning that one punch can kill.”