By James Simons-
Friends of a man from Essex punched to death over a girl have paid further tributes to him as they celebrated his birthday in honour of his memory.
James Avis(pictured) would have been 36 yesterday, Sunday(July 17) when he was killed outside a property on September 25 where he had been staying on Hainult Avenue in Westcliff On Sea.
His girlfriend Shona Sutherland, her two sisters, and a few of his friends, met at a property to honour him on what would have been his birthday.
‘Shona Sutherland said: ”Today would have been Avis’s birthday, and it’s really unfortunate he died the way he did. If the council had accommodated him, he wouldn’t have been in that property that day and will still be here with us.
Avis was a very funny, go lucky guy, he just liked to have fun.
He had a lot of problems going on with depression, and he was also bipolar with alcohol problems.
He should have been put in accommodation by now, but STARS(Southend Treatment And Recovery Service) were dragging their feet in housing him”. If he had his own accommodation, he would still be here now.
Another friend said :” Avis was a nice guy who loved to party and live life. He could sometimes be a handful without meaning to, but he was light hearted and very friendly. He is in a better place now”.
Avis, who is about 6ft2 inches, got into a fight with Radu Cionanu, who is about 6ft 7 inches over a girl, both of the men were at the time having sexual relations with.
Witnesses at the property at the time told this publication that both men had consumed a lot of alcohol at the time of the dispute. A fight broke out in the property in which Avis was headbutted by Ciabanu , leaving the walls in the property splattered in blood.
Both men agreed to take their fight outside the house. When the pair arrived outside, Ciobanu began to rein punches on Avis, who turned his back on his rival. Avis can then be heard in footage recording by the girl on her mobile phone, saying ”I’m not a fighter. Ciobanu replied you are not a fighter, but you come outside”. He then punches a defenceless Avis who was still backing him, and he fell face down on the pavement.
Avis was given mouth to mouth resuscitation by medics, but sadly died in an ambulance on his way to hospital.
In November, Radu Ciobanu was sentenced to 12 years imprisonment for manslaughter.
The Eye Of Media discovered that Avis had bail conditions which prohibited from being on the road where he was killed, but due to homelessness, was left with no choice but to stay with a group of lads who resided on the same road, where he had been drinking for days leading up to his death.
It also later emerged that cops visited the address on one end of Hainult Avenue were he was prohibited from attending five minutes before he was killed on the other end of the same road.
Avis’s parents are said to have been so distraught about their son’s death that they have cut off all ties with his girlfriend’s family and all her friends. They are considering moving abroad to have a clean break.
Image:Essex police