Widow decries 'soft justice' after Beckenham supermarket attack killer jailed for five years

London — A widow condemned Britain's justice system after the man who killed her husband in a Beckenham supermarket assault was sentenced to five years and three months for manslaughter. Demiesh Williams, 30, admitted one count of manslaughter in connection with the death of Andrew Clark, 43, who died three days after an attack outside a Sainsbury's in Beckenham, south London.

Andrew Clark and his wife Cairistine had just celebrated Newcastle United’s Carabao Cup victory when the night’s events began. Williams, who lived in Purley, is accused of cutting in line at the till, prompting Andrew to challenge him. Williams became aggressive, threatened to 'get him outside' and left the store, only to return and attack. CCTV footage showed Williams pushing ahead in the queue, then returning to the scene and striking Andrew with an open hand, causing him to fall backward and hit his head. The father never regained consciousness and died three days later in hospital. Williams fled the scene, driving away with his young child still in the car.

At Woolwich Crown Court last week, Williams pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter. Judge Andrew Lees sentenced him to five years and three months in prison. Under current law, he will be eligible for release after serving two-thirds of his sentence, about three years.

The sentencing has drawn fierce public reaction. Cairistine Clark told the Daily Mail there is no justice for a life lost and that the sentence sends the wrong message to violent offenders: his killer will be back in ordinary life within three years, she said, while Andrew’s family will carry the loss forever. She said she will campaign for a change in sentencing, arguing that the system has prioritized offenders over victims.

She described the moment of the attack in stark terms: Andrew had just told her, ‘This is the best day of my life’ after Newcastle United’s win, then they went to the shop for groceries and he was dead three days later. She recalled holding him as he died and said the assailant did not offer an apology or show remorse. Williams' family was present at the sentencing, she said, and there was perceived disrespect from them during the proceedings. She added that the judge had even mixed up Andrew’s name in closing remarks, calling him by another name.

The family’s supporters have labeled the sentence paltry. Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick called it an outright insult and said he would write to the Attorney General seeking a review of the decision. The Daily Mail understands Jenrick intends to appeal the sentence.

The Clark family has spoken publicly about the impact on their 14-year-old daughter, Rose, who described her father as her best friend and said that he was the kind of man who didn’t deserve what happened. In a statement read to the court, she told Williams that he had destroyed her family in the cruelest way possible. Cairistine Clark said she will meet with the Crown Prosecution Service to voice concerns and that there must be stronger consequences when a life is taken.

The case has amplified public debate over how sentences reflect the severity of violent acts and whether the justice system adequately protects victims’ families. Advocates say that for families like the Clarks, a life sentence is not a price that can ever be paid, while critics argue that the law already provides for appropriate punishment and rehabilitation pathways.

This incident—and the response to Williams’s five-year sentence—occurs in a broader context of ongoing discussions about crime, punishment, and public safety in the United Kingdom. As Christmas approaches, the Clark family continues to navigate a life remade by a single, irreversible act of violence.