THE heartbroken family of an elderly man who died after being assaulted in the toilets of a pub have said they now hope to move forward and grieve after his attacker was jailed.

Daniel Riley, aged 25, was sentenced to seven years in prison for the manslaughter of 73-year-old William Roy Melling at Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday.

Last month, a jury found Riley, of Spinners Mews, Bolton, guilty of causing the death of Mr Melling after he assaulted him in the toilets of the Lion of Vienna pub in Chorley New Road in January, 2015.

Judge John Potter told the court that Mr Melling, who lived in St George’s Court in Bolton, suffered a fractured skull in the attack and died in hospital on August 6, 2015 when he contracted pneumonia, which stemmed from his injuries.

Reading from his victim personal statement in court, Mr Melling’s stepson, Michael Millward, said that seeing him requiring round the clock care in the six months after the attack was ‘heartbreaking’.

He added that Riley ‘robbed’ Mr Melling of his life.

Speaking after the sentencing, Mr Millward said: “I think we are happy with the length of the sentence. I think the judge summed it up very well.

“It has been a traumatic two-and-a-half years.

“I think it is easy to say this is the end. I think we’re in that position now where we can move forward. I think we will go through another grieving process.”

Both Riley and Mr Melling were regular customers at the pub, but a fortnight before the attack, the defendant was barred for a week after getting involved in a verbal altercation with another pub-goer, 46-year-old Angela Green.

On January 22, 2015, Riley was back in the pub when an argument broke out and he took exception to the way he was spoken to by Mr Melling.

Riley later headed to the toilets with his brother, Benjamin Riley, knowing that Mr Melling was already in there, and assaulted him.

He punched Mr Melling once in the face causing him to be knocked unconscious to the toilet floor.

Judge John Potter said that the attack on Mr Melling was unprovoked but added that he did not believe Riley intended to do him any really serious harm or kill him when he hit him.

He added that he believed the attack was not pre-meditated.

The court heard how despite his age and problems with his health, Mr Melling had an active social life and a group of friends who he visited various pubs in Bolton and Horwich with.

He was said to be ‘stubbornly’ independent despite being made a widower in 1997.

Judge Potter gave Riley credit for a good employment history and the fact that this would be his first custodial sentence.

He also gave him credit for the fact the attack was not pre-meditated and that he also raised the alarm to get help for Mr Melling and was still at the scene when police arrived afterwards.

A number of friends and family of both Riley and Mr Melling were present at the hearing.