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Man jailed for killing partner after drunkenly throwing phone at her on night out

Birkby, left, was sentenced over the manslaughter of Levi Ogden, right. (Facebook/PA Images)
Lloyd Birkby, left, was sentenced over the manslaughter of Levi Ogden, right. (Facebook/PA Images)

A father has been sentenced for the manslaughter of his girlfriend after he threw a mobile phone at her neck, a court has heard.

Lloyd Birkby, 27, was given five years in prison at Leeds Crown Court for killing Levi Ogden, the mother of their two children, in November during a night out.

She suffered a cardiac arrest after collapsing to the ground in Halifax from the impact of the phone, which caused bleeding in her brain, a judge was told.

Birkby, from Elland, West Yorkshire, had previously admitted her manslaughter. He has a history of domestic violence against Ogden and served prison sentences for battery, with police having been called to their home about 20 times.

Judge Geoffrey Marson QC said the incident happened after an argument on a night out in Halifax on Sunday, 3 November, that was captured on CCTV.

A fundraiser for Levi Ogden's funeral exceeded its target. (PA Images)
A fundraiser for Levi Ogden's funeral exceeded its target. (PA Images)

Dafydd Enoch QC, prosecuting, said an argument developed between Levi and Birkby, who was in a “clearly angry frame of mind”. After kicking a passing a taxi Birkby picked up a phone and threw it at Levi “with as much force as he could muster” from about seven feet away.

Levi staggered for a few seconds before collapsing and Birkby attacked her friend before behaving aggressively to two street angels who came to help, as well as paramedics and police, Enoch said.

He added that the force of the phone hitting her and the violent twisting of her neck caused bleeding in her brain.

Stephen Wood, defending, told the court this was a “highly unusual” case, that it could not have reasonably been foreseen that the throw would have killed her, and that Birkby has a mental age of 11 years and five months.

Birkby was sentenced to five years behind bars. (PA Images/West Yorkshire Police)
Birkby was sentenced to five years behind bars. (PA Images/West Yorkshire Police)

Judge Geoffrey Marson said: “You will have to carry with you the knowledge that you have deprived the children of their mother.

“And it will no doubt affect them throughout the whole of their lives.”

Birkby was given two months for assaulting Levi’s friend, which will run concurrently with his five-year sentence.

“It’s clear that you do pose a significant risk of harm to intimate future partners,” the judge said.

A JustGiving page launched after the death of Levi, from Elland, West Yorkshire, raised more than £6,000 for funeral costs – double the target.

The page, set up by Coral Dearden, said: “With the blessing of Clare and family, I have set up this page so our amazing community can come together once again and raise some much-needed funds for our beautiful friend!

“As many of you are aware, Levi Ogden was taken from us leaving her two beautiful children behind so if we can raise enough to pay for the funeral and have a little left over for the babies it will help Clare a great deal.”