Adam Swellings threw the first punch at Mr Newlove

Adam Swellings, 19, from Crewe, was jailed for life with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 17 years.

Three youths were jailed for murdering Mr Newlove, 47, after he confronted them outside his Warrington home.

Swellings' solicitor said the term had gone beyond parliament's recommendation of 15 years for similar crimes.

Defied order

Solicitor Patrick Heald said: "It is safe to say he will consider appealing [against] both the conviction and sentence.

"However, these are very early days and I am not in a position to say more than that."

Mr Newlove was attacked when he confronted a gang of vandals on 10 August last year. He died two days later.

It emerged, after he was found guilty, that Swellings had been released from custody for an assault just hours before the attack.

He was freed on bail on condition he stayed away from Warrington but he defied the court order and remained in the town.

I hope to God they don't give him leave to appeal, because this is just disgraceful Helen Newlove, victim's wife

Discussing Swellings' possible appeal, Mr Newlove's widow Helen said: "I am not surprised."

She said on GMTV: "He knows how to play the system, he has no respect and will just try whatever and I hope to God they don't give him leave to appeal, because this is just disgraceful.

"How many times are they going to give this lad [ a chance] - he was out on bail, the charges he had were assault, harassment, these weren't little shoplifting charges."

Mr Newlove's 18-year-old daughter, Zoe, has described Swellings as "just evil".

"I reckon even without a drink he would have done something stupid like that anyway," she said.