THE family of a man who died after yobs attacked his daughter believe they are finally starting to get closure.

Frank Milligan died in hospital aged 64, days after daughter Natalie Cadman was assaulted outside their family cafe in Burgess Hill in May 2016.

He tried to stop her attackers, 20-year-old John Venn, Hayden Garratt and Joshua Hewes, both 21, who also beat Natalie’s brother-in-law Darren Wynne.

Last week the three were each jailed for one year for affray.

Now Natalie, brother Scott, sister Heidi and Susie, their mother, are slowly beginning to piece their lives back together almost two years after losing Mr Milligan.

Speaking after a pre-inquest review into Mr Milligan’s death, Natalie said: “It feels like, all of a sudden, Dad’s voice is being heard through independent people.

“It seemed like Judge Guy Anthony, who sentenced the three, knew how we felt.

“It makes us all believe Dad is being heard.”

At Brighton Coroner’s Court yesterday, Mr Milligan’s provisional cause of death was recorded as a haemorrhagic stroke.

Coroner Veronica Hamilton-Deeley added that Mr Milligan’s high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation – irregular heart rate – have been provisionally deemed as contributory factors.

His inquest was suspended in 2016 because of the possibility of Venn, Garratt and Hewes – whose actions on that night were branded “drunken and loutish” by Judge Anthony – being charged with affray leading to manslaughter.

However, the manslaughter was dropped in January and the three pleaded guilty to affray.

“It is a long time since I last saw you,” Mrs Hamilton-Deeley told Mr Milligan’s family upon entering the court yesterday afternoon.

“You have been through so much.

“I am so sorry.”

She set the full inquest to take place at Brighton Coroner’s Court on July 19.

The family want the case reviewed by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), although it does not meet the requirements because charges were made.

Regardless, they still aim to meet with the authority to discuss any options which may be available to them.

Detective Chief Inspector Rachel Carr, who led the investigation into Venn, Garratt and Hewes, assured Mr Milligan’s family she will make contact with the CPS to help settle a date for the meeting.