Father and son’s killer now work together for change

Jacob Dunne, whose punch caused James Hodgkinson’s death, and James’s father, David, have become close friends and work together on prevention and legal change in Britain, mbl.is reports.

The two met through restorative justice, a process that gives offenders and victims the chance to discuss a crime’s impact in a safe setting. They came to Iceland for the premiere of Högg, a play based on their story, at the National Theatre on October 16.

Dunne was 19 when he punched James to the ground in Nottingham in 2011. James died nine days later from a brain haemorrhage. Dunne said he had never intended to kill anyone, but acknowledged that there was no justification for what he did.

After James’s death, David and his wife, Joan Scourfield, sought answers. David said they felt the justice system had failed them: they considered Dunne’s sentence too lenient, appealed, but the case did not proceed. A victim support adviser then told them about restorative justice.

“We initially had questions for Jacob, and the main one was: why did you do this? That was the beginning, starting a conversation,” David said.

Dunne said his upbringing and involvement in a gang helped explain how he reached the point where violence seemed normal to him, but did not excuse the punch. He still feels guilt, he said, distinguishing it from shame: guilt means recognising that he made a bad decision, and he can use that recognition for good. Forgiving himself, he added, is a long process that takes more than words.

David said he was certain Dunne had not intended to kill James. For Dunne, David said, it had been an ordinary Saturday night out that ended in a fight.