The tragedy led to the victim’s 86-year old mother, with whom he lived, having to leave their home where she had been for 42 years.

In a statement she said: ‘We had to rely on each other – the last years of my life have been marred by the unnecessary taking of his life.’

Today at Minshull Crown Court in Manchester, Ali wept as he was locked up for four-and-a-half years having been found guilty of manslaughter.

Ali, now 20, claimed Mr Maden called him a ‘f***ing p***’ in the moments before the attack.

Mr Maden was described by his family as a ‘lovable, friendly character with a great sense of humour.’

He suffered a stroke in 2016 which left him with a speech impediment and he would be unsteady on his feet without the use of one of his arms.

The tragedy occurred on September 28 last year after Mr Maden visited the Reed Hotel pub in Rochdale where staff regarded him as a ‘polite, quiet man’.

He said he was going to the takeaway and agreed to get some change for the pub but encountered Ali standing inside the door to the takeaway.

Ali who studied sports psychology at Salford University was arrested at home in Rochdale on September 30.

CCTV captured Ali as he punched Keith Maden in the face,which led to him falling back and hitting his head on the pavement, causing catastrophic head injuries

Mr Maden is shown lying prone on the ground shortly after he was floored by a punch from Ali, who later claimed that Mr Maden had called him a ‘f***ing p***’

Ali said he planned to hand himself in, but only after first attending his sister’s wedding.

He claimed Mr Maden was about to headbutt him and added: ‘I said “don’t touch me” but he said under his breath calling me a f***ing p***.

‘I’m not lying to you, I gave him the lightest punch I’ve ever given anyone in my life. I don’t even punch.

‘I’m not a violent person – it was on impulse. I thought this guy was going to rip my head off.’

Harrowing CCTV shows passersby tending to Mr Maden, who was disabled following a stroke, outside Dixy’s Chicken takeaway in Rochdale, Greater Manchester

Sentencing Judge John Potter told Ali: ‘I accept Mr Maden was at the very least argumentative and aggressive in his demeanour but the evidence suggests at some point threats were exchanged between you.

‘I accept Mr Maden may have said something which you understandably saw as highly offensive and then Mr Maden pushed you in the chest causing you to step back a short step.

‘However what followed this was an unlawful act by you which caused fatal consequences

‘It seems to me you were enraged at what Mr Maden said and you lost your temper and unnecessarily took a deliberate step forward to administer a single punch with your right fist to the left hand side of Mr Madens head.

‘That blow you struck was sudden and clearly unexpected by those standing in your group nearby.

‘This was not self defence – there simply can be no excuse whatsoever for your actions as you now realise.’

A police cordon is placed outside the entrance of Dixy Chicken the morning after Mr Maden was punched

Senior Investigating Officer Duncan Thorpe of GMP’s Major Incident Support Unit, said after today’s sentencing: ‘In just a few seconds, Ali took a complete stranger away from the people who loved him the most.

‘Maden had no idea when he left the hotel to get some food that he was taking his last steps, thanks to Ali’s violent actions.

‘While Ali may not have meant to kill the man, he did nothing to help when he realised the extent of Keith’s injuries.

‘I hope Keith’s family take some comfort knowing Ali is behind bars for what he did to their loved one.’