THE dismayed family of a Droitwich Royal Marine whose life was tragically cut short after a street fight has branded his killer's five-year sentence a joke.
Cpl Kevin Weaver, aged 36, died of head injuries after being attacked during a fancy dress night out in Plymouth on March 2.
The married dad was punched in the face by Francis Fletcher. He fell backwards and his head hit the pavement. He died a week later in hospital.
Fletcher, aged 25, of North Prospect, who admitted manslaughter at Plymouth Crown Court, was given a life sentence on Thursday. But Judge William Taylor ordered it should be a minimum of half of a five-year sentence.
Cpl Weaver's sister, Teresa Gwilliam, said: "It's disgraceful. We were expecting him to be given a longer sentence."
The victim's distraught widow, Dawn, described the sentence as a "big joke."
She said: "I don't know how I coped. The court case has not made it any easier.
"We did it for Kevin and he would have been very proud of us. We love him and miss him very much."
Three co-defendants, all from Devon, admitted violent disorder. Steven Gunningham, 19, Karl Rapson, 20, and Dean Pope, 23, were each jailed for three years.
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