NEIGHBOURS and friends of handyman Alan White, expressed shock at the sentence handed down to his killer, Robin Mitchell, in court last week.

Mitchell, aged 25, of Byne Road, Sydenham, was jailed for three years and nine months after pleading guilty to manslaughter at the Old Bailey, last Friday.

The heroin addict punched and kicked Mr White, aged 53, causing a fatal brain haemorrhage, for refusing to give him a cigarette as he sat outside his house in Venner Road, Sydenham, in May 2002. Mr White died in hospital two days later.

Mr White was a retired mechanical engineer who lived a "wretched existence" after he suffered a breakdown, left work and become agoraphobic.

"He often lent a hand to neighbours using his skills to fix household appliances.

Speaking outside court, Mr White's brother Peter, 58, an accountant in Penge, said "My brother was a lovely bloke. He was a community person who responded and chatted to anyone and helped out old ladies.

"It was such a waste, a total waste.

Neighbour, Joanne Giles, 31, said: "He was the nicest man he just sat there on the wall talking to the kids and passers-by and often sorted out problems with boilers, and central heating in the houses.

"I am disgusted to hear his killer received such a lenient sentence."

Prosecutor Mark Dennis said: "The defendant had gone across to Alan White for a cigarette but had not been given one for some reason.

"Mitchell then turned away but then saw White with a cigarette.

"He said: He doesn't know who I am. I could knock 10 bells of s*** out of him.' Alan White's response was to flick his ash by the defendants' feet," Mr Dennis said.

"He then said sarcastically: Oh I'm really going to lose sleep over that.'

"The defendant then delivered what was described as a boxer's punch full on to his face," Mr Dennis told the court.

Jailing Mitchell, the Common Sergeant of London, Peter Beaumont said; "A month after your release from your last sentence of imprisonment you took the life of a sober, harmless, inoffensive and likeable man who posed no realistic threat to you."

January 13, 2003 20:30