39-year-old Christopher Cooper, from the Maritime Quarter, punched Mr. Evans once to the head outside The Station Hotel, Gorseinon, High Street on May 26.
The victim was immediately rendered unconscious and was taken to hospital, but his condition deteriorated, and he later passed away on June 26.
Cooper pleaded guilty to manslaughter at Swansea Crown Court but has now been found guilty of murder.
Cooper’s partner, 54-year-old Catherine Francis, from Llanelli, has also been found guilty of assisting an offender to prevent his arrest of prosecution.
After the jury’s verdicts, the court heard that Cooper has 23 previous convictions for 53 offences – including convictions for battery which relate to him attacking a man and his sister in Yates’ pub in Swansea.
He also has convictions for dangerous driving and assault occasioning actual bodily harm in 2004 – this offending involved him driving a car at police officers outside a school – and inflicting grievous bodily harm from 2015.
Detective Inspector David Butt said:
“We are pleased to see that justice has been done in court. Christopher Cooper’s violence has cost another man his life, and the victim’s family will never forget their traumatic ordeal.”
Both Christopher Cooper and Catherine Francis will be sentenced on January 3.
Judge Geraint Walters remanded Francis into custody and ordered that a pre-sentence report be prepared in her case, adding there is good authority which says that those who assist offenders in fatal cases must ordinarily expect immediate custody.
The judge went on to thank the jury members for their service, and said he wanted to note the dignity with which the family of Mr. Evans have conducted themselves during the trial, describing their behaviour as ‘quite remarkable’.
[Lead image: South Wales Police]
