Navy Commander, Francis Kean has been sentenced to 18 months imprisonment after he pleaded guilty to one count of manslaughter in the Suva High Court.

Kean was earlier charged with the murder of John Whippy outside the Suva Yatch Club on December 31st last year however the charge was later reduced to manslaughter.

High Court Judge Justice Gerard Winter, while passing sentence in the last hour highlighted that on the day in question, Whippy who was drunk at the time was leaving the Yatch club, where a wedding was being held and was swearing aloud at other guests.

Justice Winter said Whippy then swore at Kean, who then stopped the taxi Whippy was in and punched him three times in the face. Kean then pulled him out of the taxi and kicked him.

The Judge stressed that Whippy died because of the assault and Kean being a Navy man should have acted responsibly instead of losing his temper. He said Kean's action has taken away a father from his 8 and 6 year old children and he should have warned the victim or just walked away as Whippy was drunk at the time.

Judge Winter also said that a non custodial sentence cannot be considered as maximum assault was used by Kean who could have avoided causing the death of the man if he had controlled his temper.