A former soldier was killed by a single punch at his own engagement party after trying to break up a row, an inquest heard.

Jack Kirmond, 33, the younger brother of former England Rugby League star Danny, 37, had been celebrating his engagement to fiancée Casey Chalkley with friends and family when he was killed.

Husband-to-be Jack, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, fell and hit the back of his head on the road after he was sucker-punched in the jaw by Lee Robinson.

Robinson was later charged with murder outside the Sharlston Rovers Clubhouse, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, in August 2022.

He pleaded not guilty but the case was dropped before he could stand trial, as he died while he was being held on remand at HMP Leeds. He was found dead on his 39th birthday, in December last year.

Jack Kirmond (pictured), 33, was killed by a single punch at his own engagement party after trying to break up a row, an inquest heard

Jack had been celebrating his engagement to fiancée Casey Chalkley (pictured) with friends and family when he was killed

Husband-to-be Jack, who served in Iraq and Afghanistan , fell and hit the back of his head on the road outside the Sharlston Rovers Clubhouse, near Wakefield, West Yorkshire, (pictured following the incident) after he was sucker-punched in the jaw by Lee Robinson

Detective Inspector Suzanne Hall, one of the senior officers who worked on the investigation, said Jack was attacked shortly after he had broken up a dispute between two people at the party, but it is not clear why Robinson decided to get involved.

Casey told Wakefield Coroner’s Court that Jack, an ex Rifleman, was a ‘kind, caring and affectionate man’ who ‘always put everyone else before himself’. He was medically discharged from the British Army in 2014 – after seven years of service and multiple combat tours – and he suffered from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), flashbacks and insomnia.

But Casey said he was managing his mental health issues after receiving treatment and they were looking forward to getting married, having children and enjoying life in their new home.

‘I can’t get used to my life without Jack,’ she said. ‘Jack was innocent and had his life stolen in such a cruel way, and for what?’

The Sharlston Rovers Clubhouse is owned by Danny, who made over 200 appearances for Wakefield and Huddersfield in the sport’s top division, Super League, and now plays for York City Knights.

Super-fit Jack was taken to Leeds General Infirmary for treatment but his family were told that he had suffered a ‘catastrophic brain injury’ and would not survive. He was pronounced dead at 12.28pm on Monday, August 8.

Coroner Oliver Longstaff said the former soldier was unlawfully killed by a ‘brutal, unprovoked and senseless act of violence’.

Danny (pictured) made over 200 appearances for Wakefield and Huddersfield in the sport’s top division, Super League, and now plays for York City Knights

At the inquest, Danny described his little brother as ‘a fun and happy go lucky guy who everyone loved’.

‘He was taken too soon. We all miss him so much,’ he said. ‘No words can do my brother’s personality justice. If you knew him, you loved him. I loved him so much – forever my little brother.’

Their mother Beverley Kirmond said she is ‘heartbroken’ after her son was killed by ‘a random and unprovoked act of violence’, adding: ‘His loss is felt every single day.’

Witnesses said he did not see the punch coming because Robinson, who was the boyfriend of one of the guests, walked up behind him and threw it without warning. They also said he was unconscious before he fell back and hit his head on the road. Jack was unconscious and unresponsive when he was taken to Leeds General Infirmary and doctors found that his skull was fractured and his brain was swollen and bleeding.

ICU consultant Dr Andrew Radcliffe said surgeons could not perform an operation to relieve pressure on the brain because there was ‘diffuse damage across multiple areas’ and he was pronounced dead the following day.

Mrs Kirmond said she took ‘great comfort’ in the fact that her son donated a number of organs including his heart, liver and kidneys, as it has ‘brought life and happiness to others’.

Jack proposed to Casey on a sunshine holiday in Spring, but the party was delayed until the August.

The couple had been living with Casey’s parents while Jack renovated a house they’d bought together, which would have been their marital home.