A MOTHER who lost her teenage son after a ‘one punch attack’ has welcomed a new high-profile campaign to change sentencing guidelines for attackers.

Maxine Thompson-Curl has vowed to work with Bishop Auckland MP Dehenna Davison, who has launched the All-Party Parliamentary Group for One Punch Assaults.

Ms Thompson-Curl has campaigned tirelessly following the death of her son, Kristian, who was attacked in the toilets at K2 nightclub in Consett in 2010.

She said: “We have already campaigned for change in sentencing laws and it was brought before the Houses of Parliament on Kristian’s birthday in April last year but they refused to look at it

“I am overjoyed and a little bit excited that it might now get looked at again as there will be an All-Party Group.

“To have our own group is absolutely fantastic. I think they will listen.

“We are hoping that with Dehenna on board it will make a difference.”

The Northern Echo:

Kristian Thompson 

Kristian, who was 18, who lived in Burnopfield, suffered a severe brain injury after hitting his head on piping following the punch.

He died in hospital ten months later.

Two inquests recorded open verdicts because Kristian’s death could not ‘categorically be linked’ to the single punch.

His attacker, Mark Berry was jailed for 28 months after he admitted causing grievous bodily harm.

Ms Thompson, who runs a childcare business, founded the charity One Punch North-East, to raise awareness of the damage a single punch can do and has spoken to pupils in schools across the region.

The Northern Echo’s Price of a Punch campaign was launched in 2010 when 19-year-old soldier Andrew Gibson died six days after he was struck by 17-year-old John Flannigan in Darlington’s Escapade nightclub.

Flannigan was sentenced to two-and-a-half year in prison after admitting manslaughter.

The Northern Echo:

Bishop Auckland MP Dehenna Davison 

Ms Thompson Curl will be working with Ms Davison, whose father, Dominic, was killed 14 years ago in a one punch attack in a Sheffield pub.

Ms Davison, who was 13 at the time, said: “This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and when I was elected we looked for the support that was already out there. I read about Maxine’s story and the incredible work she has done.

“The amount of school children she has managed to reach to share with them the possible impact violent acts can have is so inspiring.

“She has turned such a tragic incident into such a positive activity to try to make a difference to people.”

The parliamentary group will be carrying out a formal inquiry into the sentencing guidelines for one punch assaults.

Ms Davison plans to speak to the victims of assaults and their families, perpetrators, lawyers of both sides, judges, police officers, and other stakeholders to create a report and a series of proposals to change the law to provide a fairer sense of justice.

She said: “The overall ambition is that anyone who has to experience such as tragic incident will find that the justice system is there to support them.”