THE family and partner of Michael Williams plan to investigate whether his killer's sentence can be increased.

The Press reported yesterday how Steven Stone had been jailed for three years for the manslaughter of the father-of-two, of Chapelfields, York.

After having already spent several months in custody, Stone, 27, could be freed within a year if he behaves while inside.

Michael's partner, Tara Gondzik, and his brother, Paul, spoke of their disgust that Stone had not received a life sentence.

Now Paul has revealed: "We are going to get legal advice to see if anything can be done to appeal against the sentence, to get it increased."

He also spoke of the horrific and traumatic night earlier this year when he discovered his brother had suffered severe head injuries in a street attack in Chapelfields.

Michael struck his head on the pavement after falling backwards because of the force of a blow to his face by Stone, formerly of Chapelfields Road, Acomb.

"It's something you can never get over," said Paul, of Clifton, York. "If he had died of natural causes, such as ill health, we might have been able to prepare for it.

"But I was woken from my bed and had to rush to the hospital, where a neurologist told me he wouldn't last the night.

"I was still trying at the time to get my head round the death of my grandmother just ten days' earlier.

"The police said they would tell my mother, but I said no, I would do it. I will never forget the noise she made when I told her. It wasn't a cry - it was a howling wail.

"She will never get over it. It affected me really badly, but I was offered counselling and it has worked wonders. I'm still having it.

"With his children, it gets worse as they get older and ask more questions."

Paul raised £2,000 through a major fundraising ska and punk evening at Certificate 18, in Gillygate, to help Tara meet the costs of bringing up their two young children, Shannon and Lennon.

He said further fundraising events might be held on an annual basis, but in future they would raise funds for a brain injury charity, as Michael had suffered such injuries when he struck his head. Paul said Certificate 18 owner Dave Jones was "well up for it".

He and Tara thanked The Press for its "very well handled coverage" of Michael's death, his funeral and the benefit concert.

Meanwhile, a spokeswoman for the Crown Prosecution Service said it had no plan to appeals against the sentence.

She said: "However, people are entitled to write to the Attorney General to ask him to review a sentence and consider whether or not it warrants being taken to the Court of Appeal."