A SOUTHAMPTON student who punched a man and left him lying for dead has appealed against his six-year jail term for manslaughter.

Ryan Cooper denied killing father-of-ten Gary Stacey on the Isle of Wight last year but was convicted by a jury at Winchester Crown Court and sent to prison.

The trial heard how the incident unfolded in Newport last year when Cooper assaulted Mr Stacey, 49, in the street in the early hours of the morning on February 14.

Cooper, from Newport, on the Isle of Wight, was walking down the street with three friends, when Mr Stacey, who was eating a takeaway at the time and Cooper’s friend Alex Wright got into conversation.

The court heard that Cooper threw two punches at Mr Stacey, which he claims were in self defence, and then left the scene with Mr Stacey lying motionless in the road.

Mr Stacey died from his injuries - a skull and eye socket fracture and severe brain damage.

Cooper, who previously claimed he acted in self-defence, has appealed against the conviction and his sentence.

If his appeal application is successful, his case will go before the Court of Appeal.