A grieving widow today called on the Crown Prosecution Service to appeal against a two-year jail sentence handed out to her husband's killer.

Mrs June Wainman said she was devastated at the leniency of the sentence.

And she is being backed by the licensee of a pub who witnessed Dennis Wainman, 52, being savagely beaten to death by another customer.

Mrs Wainman, of Windhill, Shipley, says she and her family are appalled at the leniency of the sentence given to Harry Mortimer, 52, who was jailed at Sheffield Crown Court after he pleaded guilty to Mr Wainman's manslaughter.

Mr Wainman, an electrician and father-of-three, died early on November 2, 1998, after he was attacked by Mortimer - whom he had known for most of his life - in the Dog and Gun pub, Leeds Road, Shipley.

Mrs Wainman, 52, who has three grown-up children - Angela, 31, Christopher, 29, and Gillian, 23 - and three grandchildren, said: "We're devastated.

"We don't think it's right - two years for a life is nothing. It's very lenient. Burglars round here are getting more time than that.

"Whatever he'd got wouldn't have done us any good but we've always believed if you do wrong you get punished for it.

"We went to court thinking he was going to get put away for a long time and even four or five years would have been better than the short time he's going to serve.

"The CPS has said it's looking into putting in an appeal against the sentence - we support it in that and hoping it will carry it through.''

Shirley Cunningham, landlady of the Dog and Gun, said: "I think it's atrocious - to me two years is far too lenient. I would have expected him to get at least seven years.''

Mrs Cunningham said she saw Mortimer hit Mr Wainman after he made a telephone call.

"Dennis was sat in a chair next to the phone and mumbled something to the effect of 'you can drop me off' - he only lived round the corner and used to say that to everyone as a joke - and Harry Mortimer hit him on the side of the face," she said.

"There wasn't a fight. Dennis never retaliated at all - he said nothing and just shook his head and smiled as if to say, 'I can't believe what he's done'.''

Mrs Cunningham said Mortimer then hit Mr Wainman at least six more times and kicked him when he fell to the floor.

"It was thump, thump, thump like a madman. He just beat him to death, there's no other word for it. He should be doing a hell of a lot more.

Mrs Cunningham, who gave a statement to police following the incident and was prepared to give evidence in court had the case gone to trial, said: "It's a shame to think that's all her husband was worth. I think there should be an appeal.''

Today, a CPS spokesman confirmed it was considering appealing against Mortimer's sentence and had asked for advice from counsel.

Mrs Wainman said her husband's killing had brought her family closer together amid the bitterness they felt towards Mortimer.

"He's taken my husband's life and his children can still see him but Dennis's three grandchildren and the two that are on the way won't see their granddad," she said.

"It has affected the grandchildren. We speak about Dennis a lot but try not to talk about what's happened in front of them - we want them to remember their granddad for the happy times they had with him not for what happened.

"Last year we were still numb really but this year Christmas has been really hard because of the sentence.

"But we've got through it and always will - you go on because life goes on but what's happened will always be there.

"We've had such a lot of support from everyone and that's helping us to cope.''

Mrs Wainman said her husband, who worked for Denso Marston in Baildon, and Mortimer had lived opposite each other in West Royd Road when they were children.

She described them as ''acquaintances'' who saw each other in the pub and who ''spoke and got on''.

Paying tribute to her husband Mrs Wainman, who works in a newsagent's, added: "He worked hard all his life and was a family man who loved his children and grandchildren.

"Dennis was an out-going happy man who liked a drink and a game of dominoes - he never went out looking for trouble, he was well-liked and would help out anyone if he could.''

The family of Mortimer, a father-of-two who is boss of the Shipley-based Harry Mortimer Site Welders, declined to comment when contacted by the Telegraph & Argus.

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