THE partner of a Southampton man who died from a single punch to the head has branded the 18- month sentence handed to his killer as “a joke”.

Natasha Matthews said nightclub bouncer Mohammed Waqar had ruined her future when he hit Simon Bampton following a row in the street.

Mr Bampton, 21, a construction worker from Thornhill, suffered a brain haemorrhage after his head snapped back from a single punch.

He was walking through Bristol city centre with his friend Kevin Prescott after a night drinking, trying to find the Premier Inn hotel where they were staying, at about 2.30am on August 19 last year.

Budding lawyer Waqar, 22, of Sparkhill, Birmingham, had finished his doorman’s shift at Lloyds Bar and was driving home when he saw the men in the road.

When sentencing Waqar, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter last month, Justice Jack accepted evidence that Mr Bampton and his friend had been abusive and one of them had used racist language before an altercation ensued.

But outside Bristol Crown Court, Miss Matthews tearfully branded the sentence “a joke”.

Miss Matthews said: “It’s a joke. He’s got his life and he’s taken Simon’s and ruined our future and he’s got the rest of his life ahead of him. It’s a pathetic sentence.

“Simon never caused an argument, he was a lovely person and would do anything for anyone.”

Her father, Dave Matthews, added: “At the end of the day, they can still see him. Simon had never been in trouble with the police.

“We were warned it would be 18 months plus, but we think it’s a joke.

Just because Simon had so many milligrams of alcohol, they’re saying it made it easier to kill him.

Unbelievable.”

The court heard that there had been an altercation between Waqar and an abusive Mr Bampton who had claimed he was only asking for directions.

Waqar could have driven away but instead got out of the car and went nose to nose with Mr Bampton. He then hit Mr Bampton in the face causing him to stumble and collapse to the ground.

Waqar returned to the car and drove back to Birmingham, unaware he had dealt Mr Bampton a fatal blow.

Mr Bampton, who was in Bristol working on the construction of the shopping centre Cabot Circus, was taken to Bristol Royal Infirmary where he was pronounced dead.

A pathologist’s report concluded the artery in his neck was torn as a result of the quick snap of his head when he was struck by Waqar.

The alcohol in Mr Bampton’s body may have caused his blood vessels to loosen, contributing to the injury, the court heard.

Handing in a victim impact statement from Miss Matthews, Ms Elder told the court the couple “were in an extremely happy relationship together”.

Defending, Jonathan Gosling said his client took “full responsibility” for Mr Bampton’s death.

He said: “Mr Waqar is now 22, and prior to this incident had never come to the attention of the police, and had led a decent, hard-working life.”

“It’s an incident which has the label of road rage. The defendant must pay the price today for leaving the car. But he was not out that night for gratuitous violence.”

He added that Waqar had voluntarily written a letter to Mr Bampton’s family, expressing his “deep remorse”.

Waqar was sentenced to 18 months in prison, minus 59 days he has spent on remand and on curfew.