Justice Lex Lasry sentenced Christopher Robert Docking, 41, in the Supreme Court in Melbourne after he was found guilty of Michael Miller’s manslaughter by a jury in Wangaratta.

Justice Lasry said Docking had 20 convictions from nine previous court appearances over the period from 1986 to 2008 and most of them related to excessive drink- ing.

Mr Miller, 29, died after being punched several times to the head in his Yarrawonga unit on May 8 last year.

A forensic pathologist said Mr Miller had suffered a skull fracture which caused bleeding on the brain.

“The jury’s verdict on your trial indicates that they found beyond reasonable doubt that you inflicted the fatal injury when you punched Mr Miller to the side of the head,” Justice Lasry said.

“You gave an account of the incident which involved Michael Miller starting the trouble between you. The jury clearly rejected this account.”

Docking gave an explanation he was seeking to find out what happened in an incident between his daughter and Mr Miller.

Justice Lasry said a claim by Docking that he was not angry about it was demonstrably false and rejected.

Docking’s assault of Mr Miller happened just two days after he had completed a 12-month intensive corrections order imposed in the County Court at Wodonga for aggravated burglary and recklessly causing serious injury.

Justice Lasry said Docking claimed that he and alcohol were “not a good mix” in a conversation with his brother.

“Despite this apparent insight, you have continued to drink alcohol,” Justice Lasry said.

“You need to understand that unless you can control your drinking and your violence, the penalties that will be imposed on you will become very substantial indeed.

“The confrontation between you and Mr Miller has resulted in the greatest of tragedies and is a further demonstration of the consequences of combining alcohol, violence and some bravado.”

Justice Lasry imposed an overall sentence of eight years and six months to date from when Docking went into custody.