It was understandable that in the moments after the jail sentence given to Sydney youth Kieran Loveridge was doubled, the family of his victim, Thomas Kelly, were focused on their lost loved one rather than the broader significance of the decision.

As Stuart Kelly, 16, so eloquently put it: ''I no longer have a brother, instead I have a hole in my life, and that's something I'm meant to accept.''

Stuart Kelly spoke out about the suffering he and his family endured following the death of his brother Thomas in a one-punch attack in 2012. Credit:Brendan Esposito

But perhaps as the Kelly family mark the second anniversary of the 18-year-old's death over the next few days, they might quietly reflect on the latest twist in what has been a very public case as well as a personal tragedy.

The original sentence of five years and two months given to Loveridge for the string of attacks he conducted in Kings Cross two years ago – including the savage blow that killed Thomas – set off a dramatic chain of events.