A French bartender has been convicted of manslaughter after serving a man 56 shots of alcohol, killing him.

Giles Crepin admits that he made a mistake by displaying the 'shots record' on a noticeboard in the 'Starter' bar. He will serve a four month prison sentence and is banned from working in bars for a year.

The 56-year-old Renaud Prudhomme broke the shots record in the Clermon-Ferrand bar, drinking 56 shots in one sitting. This included 30 'shooters' - a straight shot of spirits or a hard mix - in just under a minute.

Each shooter included between 20ml and 40ml of hard alcohol, meaning Prudhomme drank at least a litre of spirits.

Crepin told Prudhomme "only 12 to go" as he neared the bar's existing record of 55.

Prudhomme was carried home by his daughter and friends. Emergency services were called and he died in hospital the following day.

Crepin's lawyer Reanaud Portejoie called for the case to be thrown out. He is appealing the ruling.

"It's a decision guided by emotion and the unconscious desire to set an example," he said.

Portejoie said that the dead man's daughter had pushed him to break the record. He also noted existing alcohol abuse and respiratory problems.

"We can't ask every customer who buys alcohol to present their medical certificates."

Antoine Portal, a lawyer for the daughter, said his client was not at the bar at the time of the competition. He said his client was relieved by the decision.

"It is not known whether he would still be alive if he had not drunk the last 12 shots, but by making down those last shots, he was left with no chance," he told the French Local.

"We want to remind some professionals that it is illegal to serve alcohol to clients who are in an advanced state of inebriation."

Comments on this story have now been closed.