THE family of a father-of-two, who died just yards from his home after becoming the unwitting victim of an "extremely stupid and dangerous game", last night branded his killer's sentence a joke.

Alfred Welch, 21, was jailed for three years at Teesside Crown Court yesterday after admitting the manslaughter of Darlington man Paul Simpson.

Welch, who denied murder, had been playing a game involving punching unsuspecting passers-by to see if he could knock them to the ground.

He is likely to serve only 14 months of the sentence after the prosecution accepted his plea of manslaughter.

Welch, of Harris Street, Darlington, a member of the town's "settled traveller" community, also admitted two charges of actual bodily harm on two other men just hours earlier.

Mr Simpson's brother, Geoff, said: "He did it as a joke, and this sentence is a joke."

Paul Batty QC, prosecuting, said a drunken Welch had been "cruising" around Darlington as a passenger in a car, calling over and then punching people walking home on March 11 this year.

Two other men were punched by Welch that night, but were not seriously hurt.

The court heard how at about 2am on Saturday, March 12, mature student Mr Simpson, 33, had been walking home after a night out when Welch called him over in Askrigg Street and punched him in the face.

Mr Simpson fell back, hitting his head on the kerb, causing profound and irreversible brain damage.

Welch, who was being driven around in an Isuzu jeep by fellow traveller Marlon Harker, left the scene.

Mr Batty said Mr Simpson, who lived with partner Patricia Kelly and their two young daughters, was found by police ten minutes later and was rushed to Middlesbrough General Hospital, where he died the next day.

He said police arrested Marlon Harker but Welch fled to Nottingham and then to Ireland with his wife.

Welch was later contacted by his family and returned to hand himself in to police.

John Millford QC, for Welch, said his client had taken a mixture of alcohol and anti-depressants, adding: "He was playing an extremely dangerous and stupid game."

Judge Mr Justice Jack accepted the attack was "out of character" and that Welch was genuinely sorry.

Last night, Mr Simpson's sister, Anne Wilson, said: "This is ridiculous. I can't think what the judge was thinking of . . . It is not justice, it is a slap in the face. We are thinking about taking legal advice."