THE grieving family of York manslaughter victim Michael Williams have been backed by the city's MP in their fight to extend his killer's sentence.

Hugh Bayley said the three-year sentence given to Steven Stone was not enough, and has written to the Solicitor General to ask him to review it.

He said current manslaughter sentences failed to take account of the pain of victims' relatives, and said that if the sentence could not be increased within the existing law, he would spearhead a campaign to change the law.

Loving dad Mr Williams, 33, died after being punched to the ground by Stone in a street attack in Chapelfields in February.

Stone, formerly of Chapelfields Road, was sentenced to three years behind bars, after pleading guilty to manslaughter and affray.

But Michael William's brother, Paul, and mother, Jacky, are furious that Stone could be out as early as next year, and are appealing for a tougher tariff.

Mr Bayley today backed their calls.

He said: "I support the Williams family in their campaign to get a longer sentence for the man who killed Michael Williams.

"Three years is not enough. Some people get longer sentences for grievous bodily harm, and in those cases the family do not lose their relative forever.

"I have spoken to the Solicitor General, Mike O'Brien. There is a battle going on between the Government and the judges on sentences for manslaughter. The Government wants longer sentences but the Lord Chief Justice is arguing that community sentences are appropriate in some cases.

"I do not believe that community sentences take account of the feelings of victims' families and the loss they suffer when a loved one is killed.

"The Government is challenging lenient sentences when it can find legal ground to do so.

"I have asked the Solicitor General to look again at this case."

Two other test cases are currently going through the legal system, and have been referred to the court of appeal.

As reported in The Press on Saturday, Stone's sentence was initially referred to the court of appeal, but that referral was later withdrawn by the Attorney General's office.

Mr Bayley added: "If it proves impossible to get Michael Williams's killer's sentence reviewed, I would be prepared to argue for the law to be changed to allow for longer sentences for future manslaughter cases."

Paul Williams said he and his mother were glad for Mr Bayley's support, and said his comments echoed what they had been saying.