The family of a man who died after he was kicked in the head during a street fight have hit out at the five year sentence his attacker received.

Eastern Daily Press: Nathan Turner has been jailed for killing Dean Jose. Picture Essex Constabulary.Nathan Turner has been jailed for killing Dean Jose. Picture Essex Constabulary. (Image: Archant)

Nathan Turner, 23, of Myrtle Road, Brentwood, Essex, pleaded guilty at Chelmsford Crown Court to the manslaughter of Dean Jose, 47, from Heacham.

He was sentenced to five years by Judge Charles Gratwicke on Friday.

Mr Jose's father George, 71, from Heacham, said: 'Our son died as a result from a kick in the head when he was on the floor unable to defend himself the person who took his life could have kicked him anywhere but he want maximum damage so he went for his head.

'Although berated by the judge he gave him a sentence of 5 years with good behaviour three years four months, with parole possibly in two years.

'Is that all our son's life is worth? No wonder the prisons are overflowing there is no deterrent.'

Mr Jose, a rehabilitation specialist who worked with disabled children and adults, was attacked in Brentwood, in the early hours of bank holiday Monday, August 28 last year, and died on September 2 from a head injury.

Mr Jose and his wife Maxine had attended a function in Brentwood and were returning to the Premier Inn where they were staying when they became involved in an altercation.

CCTV footage showed Mr Jose punch Turner and a fight break out. Turner was seen kicking Mr Jose in the head after he fell to the ground.

Mr Jose suffered broken arteries in his neck which caused fatal bleeding on the brain.

His father said: 'So possibly in two years time he will be free to carry on as before still only 26, whereas our granddaughters will still be missing their dad and his wife her husband.

'We could not bury him for almost three months, it had to be a closed coffin funeral. Our family are still grieving and will be for a long time, we were looking for some sort of closure but the sentence he's been given hasn't provided this.'

The judge accepted that Turner had shown remorse for his actions that night, but stressed they were still extremely serious.

He said: 'Anyone looking at the CCTV cannot feel anything but sickness and revulsion at seeing you kick him to the head as he lay defenceless in the street.

'This was a piece of gratuitous violence meted out by you.'

The court also heard of a series of previous offences, including assault occasioning actual bodily harm when he and a friend attempted to mug a man.

Defending Turner, Michael Ivers QC insisted events that night had gained momentum so rapidly they had quickly tumbled out of control, and that the 23-year-old had never intended to kill.

When pressed by the judge on why Turner delivered the final kick while Mr Jose was unconscious, Mr Ivers stressed that Turner had already pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

Turner was also sentenced to two months' imprisonment for one count of possession of a Class A drug and six months for a count of possession with intent to supply Class B. These sentences will run concurrently.