A MAN has been found guilty of the manslaughter of Southbourne dad Stephen Mallon who was pushed to his death during a vicious brawl in Spain.

Jose Jiminez Martin was jailed for just three years sparking outrage from Mr Mallon’s family.

Mr Mallon, pictured, a 49-year-old roofer, died in June 2009 following the attack in Competa, near Malaga.

Stephen’s widow, Teresa, 47, blasted the sentences handed out to Jiminez Martin and others convicted in connection with her husband’s death.

She said: “They’re disgusting to be honest.

“We will be reviewing the sentencing document to see where we go from here.”

Stephen's son, Peter, took to Facebook to tell of the family’s frustration at being unable to have Mr Mallon’s body released for a funeral until after the court proceedings.

“This is why me and Carl went over to the trial because if we didn't we feared his body would never be released. No man deserves this.”

Jiminez Martin, 28, was spared the possibility of a 15-year jail sentence after being cleared of the more serious charge of homicide by a panel of three judges at Malaga Criminal Court following a five-day trial.

A judge ruled Jimenez Martin had provoked the holidaymaker’s fall from a 13ft ledge during the mass attack by a group of locals.

Lead judge Andres Rodero Gonzalez concluded: “We believe there is sufficient proof in relation to the origin of the fall, in the sense that it was provoked by the accused and not the result of a simple loss of balance.”

He also ordered Jimenez Martin to compensate Mr Mallon’s hairdresser widow with £96,000 and his three children with £72,000 each.

Mr Mallon, died in hospital 11 days after suffering severe head injuries in the June 6 2009 fall in the mountain village of Competa, where he had a holiday home.

A fight broke out in La Estrella disco bar where Mr Mallon, his twin sons, and their three friends, named in court papers as Brendan Cookman, Simon Byne and Finian Donelly, were attacked with belts, metal poles and other weapons by up to 20 people. Sons Peter and Carl, 16 at the time, suffered broken bones after being punched and attacked and also suffered post-traumatic stress.