A MECHANIC who bludgeoned his friend to death over a debt and buried his body is due to appeal his sentence at the Court of Appeal.

Colin Gale, from Worthing, was convicted of manslaughter through loss of control and jailed for 15 years and eight months last year for killing 54-year-old bomb disposal expert Mark Manning.

Mr Manning’s son Kane has spoken out ahead of Gale’s appeal hearing on February 1 at the Royal Courts of Justice in London, saying he “should be locked up and the key thrown away.”

The MET College student Kane, 20, from Portslade, told The Argus: “I was told about the appeal last week.

“He doesn’t deserve anything. I am not happy with it.

“I hope he loses.

“I am going to the hearing with my auntie – my dad’s sister.

“I am not looking forward to it and it is going to be nerve racking.

“He doesn’t deserve an appeal in the first place.

“Obviously I would say that because he killed my dad.

“I am not in the system so I don’t know how it works.

“If it was me I wouldn’t give him the chance.

“By law that is his human rights but it is frustrating for me.”

Mark Manning had bought and sold cars and also worked removing landmines in some of the world’s poorest countries for the Mines Advisory Group, a charity supported by Princess Diana.

Gale was found guilty of manslaughter following his trial at Lewes Crown Court but jurors cleared him of murder.

He did admit to the unlawful burial of Mr Manning’s body, which was found by police in May 2016 at a woodland site in Slaugham.

His trial revealed that the father-of-two was bludgeoned to death over a debt of around £17,000 at the garage Gale owned in Lancing.

Stewart Robertson, from Portslade, who was with Gale when Mr Manning’s body was buried, was found guilty of preventing the lawful burial of a corpse and sentenced to four years.

Both men were told they would serve half the time in custody and half on licence.