A VIOLENT sexual offender who battered a young student to death with such ferocity that his own father barely recognised him, has been jailed for life.

Richard Danter, of Queen’s Road, Leeds but formally of Monmouth, was working at a bar in the city when he approached 20-year-old Billy Mankelow after he had arrived with some friends for a drink.

Leeds Crown Court heard last Friday (21st August) how Danter carried out an horrific attack on Mr Mankelow after the pair had gone to some nearby railway arches, supposedly for a sexual encounter, in the early hours of 26th April this year.

31-year-old Danter subjected Mr Mankelow to an “unspeakable degree of violence” and left him for dead. The father-of-one’s body was found later that night but he died the following day.

Danter, who had previously pleaded guilty to the murder, hit and kicked Mr Mankelow more than 20 times in the head, before removing his phone and leaving him under the arches.

The attacker was told he will serve at least 15 years behind bars before being considered for parole.

Mr Mankelow, who had been studying social sciences before deferring following the recent death of his mum, was described by friends and workmates as “a genuinely nice person” who was also “quiet and reserved”.

Describing Danter, Tahir Khan QC prosecuting, said: “Those who knew him described him as a man of quick temper who often got into fights needlessly.

“Staff described him as friendly but with a serious anger problem.”

Danter was well known to staff and regulars at the Viaduct Show Bar were he worked part-time and had previously approached other young men there.

He had already served a lengthy prison sentence for robbing another student after meeting him in the bar.

The violent sexual offender also has a string of previous convictions from 1998 including indecent assaults and an attempted rape on an 18-year-old with learning difficulties for which he got four years imprisonment.

Mr Khan said stocky, 6ft, Danter was in contrast to the “rather slim and slightly built” Mr Mankelow.

Glass collector Danter had met the call centre worker in the early hours of Saturday 25th April and the pair were spotted kissing on the dance floor.

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Shortly afterwards, staff members at the Viaduct saw the two men walking towards the nearby railway arches, known as the Dark Arches.

The court heard there are eight of the arches, approximately 30m in depth providing a "secluded area".

Mr Khan said Danter "brutally attacked" Billy and then returned to the bar about 20 minutes after he left, leaving the dad-of-one "seriously injured and alone".

Mr Mankelow was only discovered after passers-by spotted Danter, who had returned to the scene of the crime, trying to drag his unconscious, and half naked victim further into the darkness by his legs.

After he was spotted, Danter ran away and the passers-by entered the darkness, located Billy and phoned for help.

Mr Khan told the courtroom that the young man was topless and was bleeding heavily from the head but still alive,

When the medics arrived they found "his face so badly swollen they could not examine his pupils or tell his ethnic origin".

Following a swift investigation, Danter was arrested on 26th April and later charged.

Speaking at Leeds Crown Court last Friday (21st August), The Recorder of Leeds, Peter Collier QC, told Danter: "Whatever took place there is no doubt that you subjected him to an unspeakable degree of violence.

"The surgeon who dealt with him said that he had "never before seen such trauma that was completely focused on the head and facial areas".

Mr Mankelow, who had suffered severe brain swelling, needed emergency surgery but his condition failed to improve and he never regained consciousness.

His father and grandmother travelled from his hometown of Kent to identify him and say goodbye before his life-support machine was switched off on the Sunday afternoon.

Mr Khan said: "They barely recognised him because his injuries were so severe."

The cause of death was given as severe head injuries.

In his victim personal statement, Mr Mankelow’s dad Ivan describes his son as a "person of exceptional kindness and good nature".

And he "recognises the long and painful journey that lies ahead of them all as they seek to come to terms with the dreadful sudden loss they have all suffered."

The court heard that Danter had returned to the bar in a distressed state after the assault and told staff members that he might have killed someone, before leaving again saying he would deal with the matter himself.

Danter had removed Mr Mankelow’s phone, but is unclear in his state whether Billy could have used it.

Judge Colier said to Danter: "You admitted to a friend of yours you had jumped up and down on his head and face. He did not die immediately.

"You left him where you had assaulted him helpless and dying and you went back to the night club. You removed and disposed of his phone. Whether or not he would have been capable of calling for help I can never know. I do know that you did not call for help for him.

"Later you went back and you moved the body further into the arches, not doubt intending to make it more unlikely he would be discovered."

He jailed Danter for life with a minimum of 15 years and 35 days in prison before being considered for parole. He will be on licence for the rest of his life.

Jason Pitter QC, mitigating, said his client has "a significant anger management issue and that is particularly so when he has been in drink".

Danter was absent for most of the hearing, he returned for sentence handcuffed to a prison officer while another watched over him.

Speaking after the sentence, Detective Chief Inspector David Shipperlee of British Transport Police’s major investigation team said: “[Mr Mankelow’s] death is such a tragic waste of a young life, a life taken by a violent, evil and dangerous man, who has a history of previous convictions for violence and sexual offences, who is now where he belongs, behind bars."