IT WAS a single punch that will lead to a life-time of regret.

Southampton University law student, Ryan Cooper, 21, was given a six-year sentence for killing a father-of-ten in the street.

Cooper, a black belt in karate, struck 49-year-old Gary Stacey and left him for dead in the road was found guilty of manslaughter by a jury at Winchester Crown Court yesterday.

Mr Stacey, from Carisbrooke, suffered a fatal head injury when he hit the ground and died a day later in Southampton General Hospital.

Cooper, whose Southampton address was in Alma Road, claimed he had acted in self-defence.

During the case the the jury heard that Cooper had drunk half a litre of vodka and taken cocaine in the hours before the unprovoked attack which happened during a night out in Newport.

That night Cooper had sent a text message to a friend saying: “Mate the Isle of Wight is so different, like there’s no fights, everyone is scared.”

Cooper, from Newport, was walking down the street with three friends when he encountered Mr Stacey.

Sentencing, the judge, Mr Justice Warby, said Cooper had been provoked by something Mr Stacey had said. “Your reaction to hostile words was unjustified. Your claim that he threatened you was a lie. You lied to cover up. You ran away in fear and you knew he was unconscious.”

He gave Cooper a sentence of six years, half in custody and half to be served on licence.

William Mousley QC, mitigating, said that Cooper’s prospects had been good but his future “now lies in tatters”.

He had shown genuine remorse, had matured since his arrest and tried to continue his studies.

Members of the victim’s family cried at the verdict, and afterwards spoke to the Daily Echo.

His daughter Carla Stacey said: “We would like to thank everyone who has supported us, everyone who has been there for my dad. We would like to thank the police, our barrister Andy Houston, now we just want to be able to have time to ourselves to grieve.

“He is missed. We shouldn’t have to be here giving this statement.”

Ernest Stacey, brother of the victim, said: “He lived for his children and his grandchildren.

“He was a kind man. There was none kinder. He would give you the shirt off his back.

“We have fond memories of him at family barbecues. At Christmas he was always Santa and his house was all lit up."

His brother added: “He will be very sadly missed. His family are without a dad and grandad. We got the right result. It will help let us put it to rest and help us move on.

“We now want time to remember Jeff or Bungle as he was known.”

His son Connor Stacey said: “I remember dad as a prankster, he loved a joke and he was very kind.”