A father is to launch an appeal after being sentenced to 15 years in a Cypriot jail for the death of a teenage motorcyclist in a road accident.

Julian Harrington, a fencing contractor from Witham, has always maintained the crash in Cyprus last August was a tragic accident.

The 39-year-old was sentenced to 15 years for manslaughter and six years for grievous bodily harm, to run concurrently, on Friday.

He and his family now plan to appeal, with the help of charity Fair Trials Abroad, in order to get a lesser sentence.

His brother Nigel Harrington said of the sentence: "I think all we can say is we are absolutely devastated. No-one expected it.

"Julian is shell-shocked. He can't believe it. He just shrugged his shoulders. He went out on a holiday and now he's got 15 years in prison."

Saima Hirji, a solicitor for Fair Trials Abroad, said: "We are dismayed at this sentence, which we fear is more about appeasing local antagonism towards the accused than properly reflecting the circumstances of the case."

Nigel Harrington said his brother was being treated well at Nicosia Prison and the appeal may be heard later this year.