THE family of a grandfather who died after he was punched outside a pub were still struggling to come to terms with his death last night as his killer was starting a three-year jail sentence.

Michael Kelly, who was told by a judge yesterday that he had brought overwhelming grief to the relatives of innocent victim Clifford Palmer, could be freed from jail in little more than a year.

A court heard yesterday that because of the tragedy, the 21-year-old factory worker’s family plan to move from their home in Newton Aycliffe, County Durham, when he is released.

Kelly had denied the manslaughter of Mr Palmer in September last year, despite being too drunk to remember parts of the night.

He was found guilty after a trial at Teesside Crown Court last month.

He told the jury that he had been out with friends to celebrate being promoted at work, and had drunk five pints of lager and three or four vodka and energy drink mixers.

Witnesses said they saw Kelly strike Mr Palmer as the 73-year-old self-employed roofer looked for a taxi outside Blakes pub, in the centre of Newton Aycliffe, but he insisted they were mistaken.

He said he had gaps in his memory from the crucial time, and told the jury during the ten-day trial: “I do not know what I did that night, but I know in my heart I did not do such a thing.”

Much-loved Mr Palmer was found unconscious on the pavement, and died the following day in hospital from bleeding on the brain having never regained consciousness.

Kelly, of Mackenzie Place, Newton Aycliffe, said he might have brushed past Mr Palmer and caused him to fall, but a pathologist said the extent of the damage meant that was unlikely.

The trial judge, Mr Justice Walker, told Kelly yesterday: “This was not merely a thoughtless accident. It was a mindless piece of gratuitous violence. Your drunken, mindless behaviour and the terrible harm that it caused must be reflected in the sentence.

“His family have lost his love and support. Their grief is, understandably, overwhelming.

“He went out of his way to help others. In many ways, he was the salt of the earth. I have read the statement from his daughter and it describes the heartache, loss and pain caused to the family by your actions.”

Tony Davis, mitigating, insisted Kelly was “not full of hell” and intent on violence, and said his client maintained he had no memory of the fateful moment.

He said: “While he has had to come to terms with the jury’s verdict, he still finds it extremely difficult to acknowledge that it was he who is responsible for Mr Palmer’s death.

“That is something that, plainly, he will have to live with for the rest of his life.

“This was an exceptional case. This was an exceptional injury. It was a blow with no more than moderate force.”

The law stipulates that Kelly will serve half of his sentence behind bars before he is released on licence, but further time will be taken off for his days on remand and on an electronic tag curfew.