UK Man Jailed For 2006 Assault That Caused His Boss' Death 11 Years Later

Arjan Balla, a 41-year-old Albanian man who attacked his boss 18 years ago, has now been sentenced to prison after his former boss, Anastassios Delis, died from the longer-term effects of the attack injuries in 2017, according to The Metro.

Under a false identity, Balla had previously served a three-year sentence in 2007 for seriously hurting Delis. Following the attack in November 2006, Delis suffered significant brain damage and was placed in a permanent vegetative condition.

In 2017, Delis passed away from pneumonia; however, a postmortem examination indicated that the 2006 assault was the primary cause of death. After his initial conviction, Balla was deported; however, he later returned to the UK and was caught upon re-entering the country.

"There is no doubt that the initial head injury was the underlying cause," Prosecutor Sally Howes KC told The Metro.

"An application was made to reopen criminal proceedings against Balla, who was arrested while re-entering the country at Stansted Airport. He had been living in Whyteleafe, Surrey, since 2020 with his family at the time. He admitted manslaughter and was today jailed for one year."

"The taking of human life should be acknowledged even as late as this. The passage of time does not erase the impact of what you did all those years ago," Judge Christopher Parker KC said.

Judge Parker KC said it was a "planned confrontation in which there was a highly predictable escalation into violence. There were two or three blows. When he was on the ground, he was kicked unnecessarily, as it turned out."