A CONVICTED killer has been jailed for three years after launching an attack on a student that was a carbon copy of the one that had led to the death of his mother five years ago.

A judge branded Lee Tarrant, pictured above, as a danger to the community and said there was a high risk of him committing further serious offences.

Recorder Geoffrey Still heard how the father-of-two had attacked a second year Southampton University architecture student after getting drunk, punching him in the head as hard as he could.

Victim Christopher Boswell was terrified because he knew Tarrant had a conviction in 2002 for manslaughter.

Audrey Tarrant, 45, died after her son struck her once behind the ear during a drunken argument. She developed a blood clot on the brain and died in Southampton General Hospital nearly two weeks after the fatal blow.

Tarrant, who admitted the charge, walked free from court after receiving a two-year rehabilitation order.

Southampton Crown Court heard how Tarrant had called on the student late at night last December to "off load" problems at work.

Prosecutor Sarah Dineley said Mr Boswell tried to make light of the situation and tried to get him to leave but Tarrant became agitated and aggressive, picking up from a table a saw which he ran along his thumb and cut. He then grabbed a pair of scissors and went to stab himself in the stomach.

He suddenly grabbed hold of his victim dragged him about and punched him to the head and body. Mr Boswell wrested the saw away but Tarrant pinned him up against a fridge freezer and repeatedly punched him to the head.

"He was aware it was the same way Tarrant's mother had died," said Ms Dineley. "He shouted, You must stop me, I won't stop.' As the punches rained down, Tarrant told him, I'm going to kill you.'" Mr Boswell eventually managed to escape, running barefoot to his girlfriend's house to raise the alarm.

Tarrant, 26, of Leaside Way, Bassett Green, admitted common assault, making a threat to kill and causing damage by throwing paint on the kitchen and living room floors.

A probation report considered Tarrant a high risk to the public if he returned to drinking but his partner of seven years, Sharon Hunt, said he had not touched a drop since the incident and had been attending Alcoholics Anonymous.

"He seems motivated to stop," she said in answer to defence barrister Sarah Jones, as Tarrant wept in the dock. "I can't take any more of his drinking. When he is not drinking, he's a nice man, he loves me and his kids."

Passing sentence, the judge described the attack on Mr Boswell as virtually a carbon copy of that on his mother when the court took a merciful course. He gave him credit for the steps he had taken since that case to tackle his drinking but regarded him a serious risk.

"You must understand that when you come out after this sentence, it has got to be no alcohol, not occasional alcohol. You will come out dry, purged of alcohol. Hopefully in prison you will get help and you will come back to a loving family."

As Tarrant was led away in tears, Ms Jones said he would appeal against the sentence.