A Wearside man who killed his best friend with a single punch after a drunken row has been spared jail.

David Lilley, 36, smashed his skull on the ground and died after suffering massive brain damage when he was felled by his pal Kevin King, 29.

Just hours earlier the pair had been hugging each other celebrating an Alan Shearer goal as they wathed their beloved Newcastle United on the TV.

King was so distraught at what he had done he tried to take his own life.

Yesterdfay Judge David Hodson said King's actions had "devasted" the life of Mr Lilley's partner and eight-year-old daughter.

But he said "exeptional" circumstances had prevented him from sending King to jail.

Newcastle Crown Court heard yesterday how Mr Lilley had enjoyed a the Sunday afternoon on December 1 last year watching the live football on Sky Tv at King's house in Maple Terrace, Shiney Row, with two other friends.

The pair knocked back cans of lager before deciding to finish off their day with a pub crawl around Shiney Row.

But the happy mood turned sour in a local pub. The disagreement fizzled out with King leaving the group and returning to the home he shared with his girlfriend.

But trouble flared when Mr Lilley, of Thirlmere Crescent, Shiney Row, returned to King's house to carry on the row at around 10.45pm.

Eye witness Kevin Blewitt reported seeing the pair square up in the street and heard them shouting at each other.

The court heard how King turned to go back into his house - but he was grabbed by the arm and threw out his elbow to free his grip.

He then turned towards Mr Lilley and punched him in the face sending him crashing to the ground.

Prosecuting, John Evans, told the court: "There was a verbal exchange in the street and at some stage Mr Lilley grabbed the defendants arm.

"The defendant elbowed him twice in the face to shrug off the grip and then punched him in the face causing him to fall to the ground.

"The blow caused him to fracture his skull which caused brain damage an he unhappily died."

Passers-by tried to revive Mr Lilley as King cradled him in his arms.

Paramedics arrived at the scene and tried to resuscitate him - but he had already died.

A post-mortem revealed he had died as a result of the blow when he fell to the ground.

The court heard how King had initially panicked and told police he had come across his friend in the street after hearing a row - but he later confessed when he discovered he had died.

The death of Mr Lilley, an engineer, devastated his parents, partner Tracey Bolls and daughter, Megan, eight.

His family were not in court to here the sentence after King pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

But in an emotional letter read to the court King told them: "I would like to take this opportunity to express my sadness to David Lilley's family, especially to Tracey and his daughter Megan.

"David was my best friend. We had had a great day together watching the football. I cannot come to terms with what has happened and probably never will.

"They say that time is great healer and I just hope it gets easier But when God took David he took a part of me.

"I hope people take note of what happened here and don't take life for granted."

Mitigating, Caroline Goodwin told how Mr Lilley's death had had a profound affect on King, a factory worker.

He had become extremely depressed, suffered nightmares and eventually found it impossible to deal with the guilt of his actions and tried to hang himself.

He is still receiving psychiatric help and is one medication.

Judge Hodson suspended King's 12 month jail sentence for two years.

He said: "Your actions devastated Mr Lilley's partner, daughter, and the rest of his family. It also had a most serious impact on your own family, and the consequences for you personally have been profound and you will live with that forever.

"You will have to live with the fact that you killed your best friend.

Tragic is often an overused word - but it is an apt one in this case.

"In my estimation only a custodial sentence is appropriate. However, I conclude there are exceptional circumstances in this case that enable me to suspend your sentence."