THE FATHER of a man who died after being punched outside a pub in Runcorn last summer has reacted bitterly to the news that his son's killer is to be released from jail after serving only nine months.

Stephen McLoughlin, 30, died days after Christopher Henry punched him in a jealous rage after he saw Mr McLoughlin kiss his wife, Kay Henry.

Henry, 31, of Chorlton Close, had been jailed for four years in November after admitting manslaughter.

But the Court of Appeal last week cut the sentence to 18 months, citing Henry's previous good character and the fact that the punch itself did not actually kill the victim.

With remission, this means Henry will be a free man in April.

Stephen's father, Lawrie McLoughlin, was horrified by the decision: "Nine months is not even worth talking about. How do you put a price on a life?"

"One of the policemen was in court last Monday and was saying there was a fellow who was up for repeat burglary who got 10 years.

"Then there's somebody who took a life and ends up with nine months.

"The system seems stupid."

The McLoughlin family only found out that the appeal was being heard two days beforehand, because the police had only been given 48 hours' notice themselves.

Lawrie, 48, of Camelot Way, was angry about the way the court decided that it was not a premeditated assault

"They said in court that it wasn't premeditated, but it was because this fellow sat in his car and considered what he wanted to do.

"That's why the family is so bitter about it. You are coming to terms with it and then this happens. We feel that we have been overlooked as a family."

Det Insp Mike Caton, of Runcorn CID, was angry about the lack of notice given before the appeal, which made liaison work with the victim's family unnecessarily difficult.

Police only found out at the last minute, although Henry's appeal had been lodged in December.

"Something has gone horribly, almost negligently, wrong in the process whereby the parents were not told about the appeal until two days beforehand."

He said he would be investigating what caused this breakdown in communication and seeking to prevent a future occurrence.

"We must identify what the cause is and make sure that it never happens again."

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