THE family of William Avey feel justice has been done after the man jailed for six years for stabbing him to death was yesterday handed a life sentence for a second serious assault.

It means Anthony Wallis, 30, convicted of the manslaughter of father-of-five Mr Avey, is unlikely to be freed within the next 10 years.

Judge Guy Boney QC, sitting at Winchester Crown Court, recom-mended Wallis serves at least five years and nine months for slashing a fellow prison inmate earlier this year.

The news came on the 68th birthday of Mr Avey's mother Sadie Fairweather and only days after his youngest daughter Melodey was Christened.

"When I heard the news I thought 'Thank God'. I feel that some justice has been done, although he will still walk free at the end and my son is in his grave," said Mrs Fairweather.

"It's the best news we could ever hear," said Mr Avey's sister Agnes Tucker, of Canford Heath.

Wallis was jailed for six years in the summer for the manslaughter of Mr Avey in Trinidad Crescent, Rossmore, Poole, in July 2003.

He admitted a vicious attack on a fellow inmate when he appeared in court this week.

As it was his second serious assault the judge had no option but to hand a life sentence to Wallis, of Ringwood Road, Poole.

The judge heard Mr Avey died from a stab wound to the chest after a confrontation between himself and Wallis last July.

David Pickersgill, mitigating, said that on arriving at a party in Trinidad Crescent to pick up his girlfriend, Wallis, who had been drinking and smoking cannabis, became angry when he saw Mr Avey sitting "too close for comfort" to her.

Wallis shouted abuse at Mr Avey and his friend, who then collected a pick-axe handle and baseball bat from Mr Avey's flat.

When Wallis went out to the front garden, one of the men hit him with a baseball bat. Wallis then went into the kitchen and returned with a knife, which he used to stab Mr Avey in the chest. He later died in hospital.

Wallis was sentenced to six years after pleading guilty to manslaughter.

While awaiting sentence at Winchester prison, Wallis attacked fellow inmate Wayne Green with a blade, leaving him with an arm injury and a facial wound which needed emergency surgery.

Wallis at first denied wound-ing with intent but during the trial changed his plea to guilty.

Mr Avey's girlfriend Julie West-Webbe said: "I'm happy that my daughter will now be a teenager by the time he is allowed out."

First published: October 22