Man sentenced to six years for killing biological father he met for first time

Martin Greensmith, 37, was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment after killing his biological father, Steven Shevels, 61, during a chance encounter at the Queen’s Head pub in Willington, Co. Durham on Christmas Eve. Greensmith’s mother identified Shevels as his father, but Greensmith expressed anger and told the man he did not want to know him. After being asked to leave the pub, the two met in the beer garden, exchanged words and Greensmith pushed Shevels, who fell, struck his head on concrete and died an hour later despite attempts to revive him.

The Teesside Crown Court jury convicted Greensmith of manslaughter, rejecting his claim of a “gentle push” in self-defence. Judge Jonathan Carroll highlighted Greensmith’s earlier drunk-disorderly conviction and described the push as powerful and aggressive. Greensmith expressed remorse, while Shevels’ daughter Chloe learned of the death on Christmas Day, and his sister Angela called the act “unprovoked”.