Man faces jail for killing ex-colleague with single punch over shoe prank

A City worker is facing jail for killing a recruitment consultant with a single punch after his shoe was thrown out of a minicab window.

Alexander Thomson, 33, was on a night out with former colleagues on August 26 last year when he reacted to the prank by lashing out at Thomas Hulme and hitting him on the head.

At the time, the group of four were inside a minicab on Farringdon Street in the City of London.

Mr Hulme, 23, from Tooting, south London, died the following evening and Thomson was charged.

In January, Thomson, of Broomwood Road, Clapham, south London, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was remanded on conditional bail.

The court heard the defendant had issues with his alcohol consumption and was exploring with counsellors whether they masked any underlying issues.

His lawyer Lisa Wilding QC noted he had "matters recorded against him" in the past.

She said: "Alexander Thomson recognises a custodial sentence will be the expected sentence following his guilty plea.

"He now abstains completely from alcohol."

Judge Anthony Bate will sentence Thomson at the Old Bailey later.