Ryan Ingham
Ryan Ingham ran up and punched girlfriend Caroline Finigan in the head GMP

Violent thug Ryan Ingham has been jailed for 16 years for killing fiancée Caroline Finigan with a sickening running punch.

Minshull Street Crown Court heard that Ingham had been out drinking with girlfriend Finigan in Manchester city centre on 15 January when the pair became embroiled in an argument at about 1.10am, possibly about whether to get a bus or a taxi home.

An eyewitness then saw 27-year-old Ingham, of Blackley, Manchester, sprint towards Finigan, who was from Stockport, and punch her in the head, causing the 29-year-old mother-of-five to crash to the ground and be knocked unconscious.

The court heard Ingham's punch was so powerful that it fractured Finigan's eye socket, broke her nose and caused her neck to swivel so violently that blood vessels burst.

He then moved her body before an ambulance was called but Finigan died later that day. Ingham was then arrested and charged with her murder.

Ingham had already pleaded guilty to manslaughter but at a four day trial it took a jury just two hours to find he had deliberately tried to kill her.

Senior investigating officer Duncan Thorpe from the major incident team said: "Ingham and Ms Finigan had been together for a couple of years and had regular arguments. However, this does not excuse what he did and only he knows what made him attack her in such a way.

"Ms Finigan's family have been left deeply upset and cannot believe someone who claimed to love her could kill her.

"Ingham himself will have to live with the fact his reckless and thoughtless action took the life of an innocent woman."