A man was today jailed for two-and-a-half years for the manslaughter of an antiques dealer.

Beggar David Gibson, 28, of Grand Parade, Brighton, killed John HartGould with one punch on October 23 last year.

Mr HartGould, 46, who ran the Brighton Flea Market, died at the junction of Western Road and Holland Road, Hove.

He is believed to have been returning to his home in Palmeira Court when Gibson asked him for spare change.

Robin Grey, defending, told Lewes Crown Court Mr HartGould took offence at the request and made an abusive comment about Gibson's mother.

He said: "But unknown to the deceased, the defendant's mother had recently died of cancer.

"He walked after Mr HartGould, trying to stop him to get him to apologise.

"When he caught up with him he lost his temper and struck him once".

Jeremy Carter-Manning, prosecuting, said Gibson bent over his victim's body as he lay on the ground, looked at him for a couple of seconds, then walked away "with a bit of swagger and a bounce in his step".

An ambulance was called but attempts to resuscitate Mr HartGould failed.

He died at the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton.

Tests showed he had been more than twice the legal drink-drive limit.

Mr Grey said Gibson felt remorse for his actions and had no intention of killing Mr HartGould.

He said: "He described it as an accident and said he was very sorry.

"He thought Mr HartGould would get up, as people do in 99.9 per cent of these cases."

Sentencing Gibson, who pleaded guilty to manslaughter, Judge Richard Brown said his actions had left the victim's family and friends devastated.

Mr HartGould was born in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, to parents Dorothy and Leslie and had one brother, Ivan.

After school he took a foundation course in art before moving to Brighton in 1972 to take a degree at Brighton Arts College.

He took over the management of Brighton Flea Market, in Upper St James Street, Kemp Town, in the Eighties.

He bought and sold antiques and jewellery, particularly Egyptian and Greek items.