THE parents of a man killed by one punch in Blackburn town centre have welcomed calls to review sentencing guidelines.

Adam Rogers, 24, from Blackburn, had been on a night out when William Kingsley Upton, 17, from Rishton, hit him, causing him to fall and hit his head.

He was sentenced to four years in jail, but served two years and spent the rest on licence.

Now, secretary of state for justice, Chris Grayling, has asked the Sentencing Council, headed by the Lord Chief Justice, to report on the adequacy of sentences available to judges for killing with one punch.

Mr Grayling told a national newspaper: “I want to ensure everyone can have full confidence in sentencing of these crimes Pat Rogers, Adam’s mother, said the length of the maximum sentence available to judges should be increased.

She said: “I think it needs to be looked at because every punch is different, but there are some much more violent than others.

“The young man who punched Adam was drunk and aggressive, but he was not a vicious, violent thug and there is a difference.

“One of the things my husband Dave and I feel really strongly about is that it is much more important what happens to the offender when they are in prison in terms of rehabilitation.

“We know from the impact Adam’s story has on offenders that sometimes it takes them a while to get to the point where they can understand the victim’s point of view.”

Adam’s death in 2009 prompted the launch of the Lancashire Telegraph’s anti-violence campaign, Every Action Has Consequences, working with the Rogers family to raise awareness of the devastating effects of spontaneous violence.

The request for a look at the sentencing guidelines comes after Lewis Gill, 21, who killed Andrew Young, 40, with a single blow in Bournemouth, Dorset, was sentenced to four years in prison.

The term was appealed by the attorney general Dominic Grieve, but three judges in London decided not to make any change.

Mr Rogers, whose son was Padiham Ladies’ football coach, said: “Offenders do not realise the severity of the damage they might cause and I think longer sentences would show that the community is taking it very seriously.”