Sunderland sock thief who killed a woman who got in his path as he ran from Sports Direct is jailed

Shoplifter Joseph Smith had taken three packets of trainer socks, worth a total of £66, from the store in Sunderland and sprinted away from staff who tried to stop him.

Newcastle Crown Court heard as he ran around a blind corner he encountered accounts manager Christine Vasey, 68, and her husband Sidney, who were heading to the Stadium of Light to watch their team Sunderland take on Oxford United on October 26.

In his desperate bid to get away, Smith forcefully shoved Mrs Vasey out of his way, which caused her to fly backwards and hit her head on the hard pavement.

The blow caused a complex skull fracture and brain injuries and she died in hospital on November 1, despite attempts to save her.

Smith, 37, of Halstead Square, Sunderland, who admitted manslaughter, has today been jailed for six years with a four year extended licence period.

The court heard Smith had gone into the sports shop at just after 11.30am that day and "brazenly" picked up the three packets, each containing six socks, then ran off without paying.

This triggered the security alarm and the store manager and assistant manager then ran after Smith as he sprinted along High Street West.

Prosecutor Emma Dowling told the court: "CCTV shows the defendant, still effectively at full speed, running around a corner.

"Directly in front of him are Mr and Mrs Vasey. Rather than taking evasive action or trying at least to stop, the defendant puts his hands up, keen to get away with the socks and pushed her deliberately out of his path.”

The court heard one of the shop workers saw the shove and chased Smith over the Wearmouth Bridge.

Smith threw punches at the worker, which missed.

Miss Dowling said Mrs Vasey was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital before being transferred to the RVI in Newcastle, where a craniotomy and decompression procedures were performed in a bid to save her life.

She died on November 1, as a result of a complex skull facture and bleeding and bruising to the brain, caused by the force with which her head hit the pavement.

Her niece Ruth Holt made an impact statement on behalf of the family and described Mrs Vasey as a "vibrant and outgoing woman who was ripped from our family".

The court heard Mrs Vasey and her husband had been childhood sweethearts and were described in court as "soulmates".

Mr Vasey has since been diagnosed with PTSD, suffers flashbacks and "torturous" dreams when he is able to sleep for brief periods.

They had been due to travel on first class tickets to Australia to celebrate Mrs Vasey's approaching retirement.

Smith, who has convictions for 15 offences including an attack on a police officer who tried to stop him shoplifting a £1 hat, also admitted theft, common assault and possessing a small amount of cannabis.

Judge Paul Sloan KC told him: "No sentence I am permitted by law to impose could even begin to ease the pain and suffering of Christine Vasey's family - pain and suffering they will have to bare for the rest of their lives."

The court heard Smith has a long history of mental heath problems and has schizophrenia but he also has a history of drink and illicit drug use.

Sophie Allinson-Howells, defending, said Smith has expressed remorse and added: "He was utterly desperate to continue his escape from Sports Direct with the socks.

"He sprinted for some considerable distance and was oblivious to the devastation he left in his wake."

Miss Allinson-Howells said the push was a "split second decision".

Following the sentencing, a statement released by Mrs Vasey's family read: "Christine's death has shocked and saddened all of us. We will remember her as the intelligent and vibrant professional woman that she was.

"She lived life to the full, balancing her zeal for her family, her business, her thrill for travelling and her love of Sunderland AFC.

"We will now take solace at the custodial sentence served and we hope the offender takes time to reflect upon the horror that his reckless actions brought on us.

"Detective Inspector Steven Brown of Northumbria Police's Major Investigation team added: "This is a tragic case, and our thoughts remain with Christine’s family who are having to mourn the unexpected loss of their loved one.

"I know that today's result is no compensation for the loss of Christine's life, but I do hope it brings some comfort to her family and loved ones.

"The outcome of this crime shows why we take every offence seriously.

"There's no place in our communities for any type of criminality and we will continue to do all we can to deal robustly with those who choose a life of crime."

Sarah Traynor, Senior Crown Prosecutor at CPS North East, said: "It is clear from the evidence in this case that Joseph Smith was directly responsible for the tragic death of Christine Vasey.

"In his haste to avoid being apprehended for his stealing, he delivered what was to be a fatal injury to Mrs Vasey.

"This was not a simple collision of two people, CCTV footage showed that Smith had physically pushed Mrs Vasey to the floor using both hands.

"We drew upon medical forensic evidence to show that the catastrophic head injury sustained by Christine in that fall was the direct cause of her death."

The Crown Prosecution Service has worked closely with Northumbria Police to build a robust case against Smith and this was instrumental in securing his guilty pleas to all charges against him.

Ms Traynor added: “Our thoughts remain with the family of Christine Vasey at what remains a difficult time, and we hope that they can take some measure of comfort from seeing the person responsible for her death jailed today."