Two men have received life sentences for the murder of a young father in a brutal assault.
Joseph Dix, 26, from Frome, Somerset, and Macauley Ruddock, 28, from Bath, will serve a minimum of 13-and-a-half years, as ruled by Swansea Crown Court on Friday.
The court was informed earlier this month that the two men had knocked their victim, Mr. Main, unconscious during an altercation, from which he never awoke.
Mr. Main, a resident of Falkirk, Scotland, succumbed to his injuries four weeks after the attack in July 2024.
Detective Inspector Claire Lamerton from South Wales Police stated, “They clearly intended to inflict serious harm on their victim, and they will now serve lengthy sentences for their actions.” Despite pleading not guilty to murder, Dix and Ruddock were found guilty following a trial.
The incident occurred while all three individuals were in Swansea for work. Mr. Main had encountered Dix and Ruddock for the first time at a bar near Princess Way on the evening of the attack. An argument that started in their hotel escalated and continued onto the street where Mr. Main was fatally injured.
“Although alcohol was consumed, it does not excuse the level of violence exhibited by Joseph Dix and Macauley Ruddock,” explained Det Insp Lamerton.
She highlighted the case as an example of how intoxication can severely impact behavior and decision-making, adding, “Had Joseph Dix and Macauley Ruddock chosen to walk away that night, a life could have been spared, and they would not be facing murder convictions today.”
