THE girlfriend of a paratrooper beaten to death in a vicious attack has lost her fight for his killers' jail sentences to be increased.

Joanne Done spearheaded a campaign calling for the two men who killed Benjamin Kamanalagi to get longer prison terms.

She has been left to bring up her baby Cory on her own in Kearsley.

The child was born after her boyfriend died.

In February, Richard Smith, aged 20, and Anthony Curtis, aged 21, both from Salford, were convicted of his manslaughter following a Manchester Crown Court trial.

Mr Kamanalagi was beaten to death outside his friend's home in Weaste, Salford, in September 1999.

The attack came after he had earlier ejected Smith and Curtis from a nightclub.

Both men were jailed for five-and-a-half years, sparking claims the sentences were too lenient and prompting the Attorney General to submit the case to the Court of Appeal.

Yesterday, Joanne's bid to ensure the pair stay longer behind bars failed, after top London judges ruled the sentences were not too lenient.

Joanne, who went to London for the hearing, could not be contacted today but a relative admitted the family was "disappointed" by the result.

Bolton South-east MP Dr Brian Iddon, who along with Worsley MP Terry Lewis had handed a 1,000 signature petition demanding an appeal against the sentence to then Home Secretary Jack Straw, spoke out against the decision.

He said: "I'm appalled these men can go out armed looking for Mr Kamanalagi and only get five-and-a-half years each.

"They are going to be out in about three-quarters of that."

Lord Justice Kennedy, sitting with Mr Justice Potts and Mrs Justice Hallett, were told Mr Kamanalagi, who was very fit, over 6ft tall and 15 stone, was a part-time training instructor as well as a doorman at two Manchester nightclubs.

In September 1999, he had thrown Smith and three other people including Curtis out of a club.

Four days later, the defendants and two friends went looking for Mr Kamanalagi and a confrontation began.

An independent witness said the doorman, who had arrived with weapons, used a cosh to strike Smith over the head.

The defendants, who were not armed, grabbed fence posts and after rugby tackling Mr Kamanalagi to the ground repeatedly hit him for 30 seconds. He died from a brain haemorrhage.

Simon Denison, for the Attorney-General, had asked for the sentences to be increased, claiming they were 'unduly lenient'.

He said the defendants out-numbered the bouncer, had arrived for trouble and the violence was sustained.

Lord Justice Kennedy said the unarmed men were not out for violence at the beginning and that there were four fighters on each side at the start.

He said Mr Kamanalagi possessed weapons, a cosh and a knuckleduster.

He said: "We have come to the conclusion the sentence which was imposed by this experienced judge was lenient, but we are not satisfied that it was unduly lenient and accordingly these applications are dismissed."