THE family of a British soldier, kicked to death outside a night club in Innsbruck, have confirmed they are investigating the possibility of an appeal against the sentences handed to his killers.

Five men were given jail terms ranging from three-and-a-half to five years after admitting grievous bodily harm causing death, in an Austrian court this week.

However, Corporal Derek Osborne's mother, Barbara, is furious that they were not tried for murder and has already contacted her MP, who she hopes will help with a campaign for tougher sentences.

"These men are animals,'' said Mrs Osborne at her home in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, yesterday.

"If you attack someone, you intend to harm them, and I cannot believe that they did not know what they were doing. They kicked Derek in the head repeatedly and hard enough to kill him.''

Cpl Osborne, a serving soldier with the King's Own Border Regiment - based at Catterick Garrison at the time, but serving in Cyprus, was in the Alps to compete with the Army's bobsled team.

He was with friends inside the night club when words were exchanged with a gang of Serbian youths.

Cpl Osborne was told to leave and was outside with a friend when he was attacked. He died of his injuries in hospital.

However, the prosecution decided Nenad Ristovic, 23, Goran Bilic, 21, his brother Zoran Bilic, 21, and brothers Hans and Franz Josef Hochenhagg, aged 21 and 20, should not be tried for murder when it was alleged another confrontation occurred after Cpl Osborne had been told to leave the night club.

Nevertheless, the Innsbruck community was so shaken by the incident, it subsequently raised £20,000 for Cpl Osborne's widow, Amanda, and baby son Scott.

However, his mother is adamant the family is not satisfied with the outcome of the court hearing - nor with the Army's dealings with them since her son's death.

"They have done next to nothing," she said.

"I even had to find out the result of the court case from the media.''

Barrow-in-Furness MP John Hutton is understood to have contacted Armed Forces Minster Adam Ingram to highlight the family's feelings.

Yesterday, a Ministry of Defence spokesman expressed disappointment over Mrs Osborne's anguish and indicated that an investigation would be carried out into her claims.