A BRITISH man has been sentenced to four years and four months in jail for manslaughter after he killed a friend who poked his girlfriend on Facebook.

Scott Humphrey, 27, got into a fight with his friend, 29-year-old Richard Rovetto, in a taxi saying, “If you’re such a good friend why did you poke my missus?”

Humphrey repeatedly punched Rovetto, a father of one, in the taxi as they made their way home from a buck’s night, the Mirror reports.

The taxi driver told Nottingham Crown Court during Humphrey’s trial that Rovetto told Humphrey he didn’t know the woman was his girlfriend.

Buzz Feed reports that after exiting the taxi, Humphrey punched Rovetto again, knocking him to the ground where he hit his head against the pavement.

Humphrey fled the scene and Rovetto was taken to hospital, where he died a few hours later from his injuries.

Humphrey’s lawyer said that his client was “devastated”.

“When you and him went out that evening, violence and death were the furthest things from your mind,” the judge said during the sentencing. “You didn’t intend to kill him. Part of the tragedy is that it’s left to chance what happens.”

Robert Egbuna, defending Humphrey said: “The defendant is genuinely remorseful about his actions. He will never forget that day. As soon as Scott Humphrey heard about what had happened to Richard Rovetto, he was devastated.

“He has been very candid and admitted this offence from the very start.”

After the sentencing Rovetto’s brother-in-law, Jason Burley-Evan, said that the sentence wasn’t adequate.

“This was a waste of a life,” he said. “We feel the sentence wasn’t the justice we wanted for Richard. He was a much-loved person and it will be hard for us all to move on.”