THE FAMILY of a man killed by a dangerous thug have branded his sentence a farce.

John Anthony Cunningham, 30, jailed for killing Macclesfield father Neil McDonald with one punch during a town centre night out could be released in just over two years.

He was seen laughing as he walked away from the unprovoked assault in Waters Green last August, Chester Crown Court heard.

Cunningham, of Reddish, Stockport, was jailed for five years on Friday by Judge Elgin Edwards. As he had already served 156 days, the court heard, he could be released as early as February 2012.

Neil’s long-term partner Joanne Foster, who lived with him on Percyvale Street, Macclesfield, said: "It’s appalling and it’s a farce. He could re-offend and the next punch could kill somebody else. I don’t want any other family to go through this. I relive that night in my head every day. It was an unprovoked attack – he didn’t know Neil’s name."

Joanne, 35, a clerical officer for the NHS, has started a campaign to get tougher sentences for so called ‘one-punch manslaughters’.

More than 740 people have already signed up to a Facebook campaign site entitled ‘Justice for Neil’.

The court heard that Neil and Joanne had been enjoying a night out in Waters Green when the assault ‘escalated from nothing’ in the early hours of Sunday, August 16.

Michael Chambers, counsel for the prosecution, said: "The defendant was spoiling for a fight. He was seen to be bouncing on the spot and described as being like a boxer. He had been drinking and aimed a punch."

Neil, a stepfather-of-one, collapsed and never regained consciousness. He died in Macclesfield Hospital later that day having suffered a large skull fracture and brain haemorrhage.

Jeffrey Samuels, counsel for the defence, said: "This wasn’t an attack without warning against a defenceless man from behind. We submit that there is an insufficient basis for the court properly to say he is dangerous."

Judge Edwards told Cunningham, who sat stony faced throughout: "On the night in question I am afraid you were looking for trouble.  You were inciting another person to fight you, then landed a blow on unfortunate Neil McDonald. I am driven to the conclusion that you are dangerous."

Speaking afterwards. Detective Inspector Terry Tinsley of Cheshire Police major investigation team said: "John Cunningham has a propensity to commit violent crime, on occasion fuelled by excessive drinking. This case highlights the loss and devastation that can be brought about by alcohol fuelled violence."

A CPS spokesman said after his initial release, any breach of Cunningham’s four-year licence could put him straight back in jail. and will serve a further four years under licence on his release.

JOHN Anthony Cunningham had been convicted of six previous violent offences, the court was told on Friday. These included street robbery involving a knife as a juvenile, unlawful wounding in 1994 and dragging and kicking an ex girlfriend to the ground in 2008.

In 2000 he was sentenced to seven years for offences including threats to kill, affray and possessing a firearm.