Yahoo News Mum of one-punch killer jailed after hiding phone in act of 'misguided loyalty'
The mother of a one-punch killer has now been jailed herself after she tried to hide her son's phone in an act of 'misguided loyalty'.
Michael Pearson killed his friend Scott Akester with a single punch after attacking him in the street, Hull Live reports. He was later jailed for seven-and-a-half years after being convicted of manslaughter.
Pearson's mother, retired social worker Joanne Pearson has now also been locked up for six months after she tried to prevent officers from seizing her son's mobile phone during the investigation that followed. A court was told how the 61-year-old was in a state of 'emotional turmoil' when she tried to conceal the phone.
A court was previously told how Mr Akester fell after a hard, unprovoked punch from Pearson and he hit his head on the ground with considerable force. This caused a fractured skull and swelling to his brain.
Two front teeth were knocked out during the incident. Mr Akester died in hospital later despite the efforts of hospital staff.
Pearson, now 31, of Saltshouse Road, east Hull, denied the manslaughter of 31-year-old Mr Akester by unlawfully killing him on November 19, 2022 but he was convicted by a jury after a trial spanning three weeks that ended on May 18 last year. He was jailed at Hull Crown Court on June 29 last year.
Joanne Pearson, also of Salthouse Road, admitted committing an act with intent to pervert the course of justice by attempting to prevent the seizure of her son's mobile phone during a homicide investigation. Robert Stevenson, prosecuting, said that, after the incident in the street in the early hours, Michael Pearson returned home to his girlfriend, with whom he had exchanged text messages about what happened to Mr Akester.
He also exchanged messages with his friends and his brother. The brother had been there on the night out and was there at the time of the assault.
Michael Pearson suggested that Mr Akester "had it coming" because of falling out with the brother during the evening. He said in messages that he "sparked him out" and that Mr Akester's head hit the ground very hard.
He was panicking about a couple who had been close to the assault because they might be possible witnesses. He told his girlfriend, brother and friends to delete their text messages.
"Michael Pearson met with his brother before handing himself in," said Mr Stevenson. Shortly before handing himself in, Michael Pearson made Google searches about the likely sentence for manslaughter.
"It was obvious that his phone was going to be of considerable assistance in the investigation," said Mr Stevenson. Michael Pearson was dropped off at the police station by Joanne Pearson and his brother shortly before midday.
The phone was still working and registering on phone masts. It stopped transmitting near his home. When it was eventually found at Joanne Pearson's home on November 20, 2022, it was in her coat pocket after her arrest.
It was in a plastic bag and it had been smashed and doused in acetone or a similar liquid.
"The prosecution can't say when the phone was destroyed," said Mr Stevenson. It was during the afternoon or evening of November 19, 2022 at a time when Mr Akester was gravely ill.
Police went to Joanne Pearson's home at 11pm on November 19, 2022 over a claim by the brother that his car had been stolen. "It had not been stolen," said Mr Stevenson.
It had been used to take Michael Pearson and Mr Akester for their night out and had been moved by Joanne Pearson during the day to the brother's home. Joanne Pearson and the brother were arrested after 11pm on suspicion of assisting an offender in connection with the report of the stolen car.
She was wearing a dressing gown and she was allowed to get changed. She put on a coat and the broken phone of Michael Pearson was in a pocket. She said that she needed the toilet twice in quick succession.
She took off the coat with the broken phone in the pocket and she put it on her bed. She put on a different coat before she was searched and taken into custody.
She made no comment during police interview to all questions but said in a statement that she had no idea where Michael Pearson's phone was.
"The phone was of significant importance during the trial of Michael Pearson," said Mr Stevenson. The police could not initially access the information on it.
Charlotte Baines, mitigating, said that Joanne Pearson had no previous convictions. At the time, she was "somewhat in a state of emotional turmoil" but she understood the impact of Mr Akester's death on his family and friends.
"She has shown exceptional victim empathy," said Miss Baines. "She feels dreadfully sympathetic and sorrowful for their loss. "She was going through some emotional turmoil and she let a very strong misguided loyalty take over her that day."
Joanne Pearson did not know what material was on the phone. "That lessens the seriousness of the offence," said Miss Baines. At the time, Mr Akester had not died but Joanne Pearson knew that he was gravely ill at that time.
"The police did have to get over some hurdles in order to obtain the material," said Miss Baines. "The police, of course, retrieved that information. It was capable of being used and was used at the trial. It did not have any detrimental effect on the Crown's ability to prosecute the trial."
"She made a very serious error of judgement out of misguided loyalty. She, deep down, did not want the police to have the phone and recognises the extreme error of her conduct in that respect."
"It was wholly and utterly out of her character." There were numerous character references for her. She started as a nursery nurse before retraining, graduating from Hull University and becoming a social worker, with a managerial role in safeguarding children.
She retired in 2021 after 20 years in that sort of work and she helped to look after Michael Pearson's two children, aged four and two. "She has given to her community, not just by the work that she has undertaken, but in a number of roles in volunteering and she has done charity work," said Miss Baines.
Pearson had set up a charity connected with mental health and she helped to run that behind the scenes. She was involved with a school "in terms of governance".
Judge John Thackray KC told Pearson: "You knew that your son was involved in assaulting his friend and you appreciated the significance of your son's mobile telephone. It was a critically important piece of evidence."
"It contained important bad character evidence but, perhaps most importantly, the contents demonstrated that your son's actions were unlawful and contrary to self-defence."
"Despite that, having left your son at the police station, you damaged the telephone and did your best to keep it from the police. It caused significant delays in the investigation and that culminated in an application to vacate your son's trial only three days before the trial was due to commence."
"I rejected that application but I have no doubt that the application itself caused distress and concern to the family of Scott Akester. I accept that you were in a state of turmoil."
"Ultimately, only appropriate punishment can be achieved by way of an immediate custodial sentence."
Pearson nodded to the judge and looked down as she was led out of the secure dock to be taken down to the cells.
During an earlier hearing before Hull Magistrates' Court on January 3, a previous charge against Joanne Pearson of assisting an offender was withdrawn.
After the hearing, the family of Mr Akester said in a statement: "For our family, it wasn't about what sentence was going to be given, it was about her being accountable for her actions."
"We are now pleased this process has now completed and all the heartache we have had to go through over the last 18 months has come to an end. We will now strive to move forward with our charity, One Punch Hull and East Yorkshire, keeping Scott's memory alive for years to come."
"We will continue our work in raising awareness of the risks of one-punch attacks to stop other families going through what we have and other children growing up without their daddy, as Ella is now doing."
"We hope everyone will realise the devastation caused really isn't worth it and that we help to change behaviours and save lives. For more information about our charity, please visit www.onepunchhull.com "
Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features.
