Man jailed for drugs after killing football fan with punch

A Swansea man serving time for killing a football fan with a single punch outside a pub has been handed additional prison time after police discovered thousands of pounds worth of cocaine in his kitchen. ⚖️

Steven Vonk was already behind bars for the manslaughter of Timmy Matthews when he appeared at Swansea Crown Court this week to face drug supply charges. The 51-year-old had killed Mr Matthews with an unprovoked attack outside The Mill pub on Bryn-y-Mor Road in July last year, receiving a three-year sentence last November.

The drugs came to light when officers arrived at Vonk’s Westbury Street flat to arrest him the day after the fatal assault. Inside a kitchen cupboard, they discovered a freezer bag containing 121 grams of cocaine – valued at up to £9,680 on the street – alongside envelopes holding more than £900 in cash.

During his trial, Vonk denied dealing and insisted the substantial stash was purely for his own consumption. He told jurors he was a heavy user who got through approximately 3.5 grams every other day, meaning the kitchen haul would last him around 80 days.

When questioned about financing what would amount to an £18,000 annual habit whilst unemployed, he claimed to fund it through his personal independence payment and cash-in-hand work including power-washing and gardening for a friend.

The jury wasn’t convinced. After five hours and 22 minutes of deliberations, they returned a guilty verdict for possession of a Class A drug with intent to supply.

Judge Paul Thomas KC then revealed to jurors that Vonk had 28 previous convictions covering 63 offences, including 14 for simple drug possession, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, dishonesty, burglary, and manslaughter.

The court heard how the original killing unfolded on July 25, 2025. Mr Matthews had been enjoying an evening with friends outside the pub when Vonk and his group walked past. Witnesses saw the victim reach out to shake Vonk’s hand, only for the defendant to respond with a punch to the head.

Mr Matthews never broke his fall. Onlookers believed he was unconscious before his head struck the pavement. Vonk and his friends simply walked away whilst the stricken man received emergency treatment before being rushed to Morriston Hospital.

Scans revealed devastating injuries: significant bruising and bleeding to the brain, skull fractures, and a broken nose. Doctors diagnosed severe brain trauma with “likely catastrophic” brain injuries and concluded that neurosurgical intervention would be futile. His condition deteriorated and medics told his family the injuries were unsurvivable. Life-maintaining therapies were withdrawn and Mr Matthews died at lunchtime on July 27.

Vonk later admitted to police that he’d known Mr Matthews for many years and the pair “did not get on”.

In a heart-wrenching impact statement read to the court, Mr Matthews’ daughter described her father as her best friend, saying his death had left her feeling like “life has no meaning”. She spoke of his “infectious laugh and boundless energy” and said her last memory of him lying gravely ill in a hospital bed was one which “haunts” her every day. She described having a “permanent feeling of loss and despair” and said her father would be missed by his family, friends, and the wider community.

Steven Craig Vonk was sentenced to two-and-a-half years in prison for the drug offence, which will run consecutively to his existing three-year manslaughter sentence.