A MAN who threw a bottle at the head of a teenager and then fled with a murderer has enjoyed his first week of freedom.

Rhys Hennebry, 20, of Gurdon Road, Colchester, served 18 months of his three-year sentence for two counts of affray and is out on licence.

Caroline Shearer, mother of the murder victim Jay Whiston, is distraught. She said: “It is disgusting.

“I have to visit my son’s grave while he is home for tea. If he hadn’t hit Jay with the bottle maybe he could have got away.”

Jay Whiston, 17, of Aster Close, Clacton, was stabbed to death at a house party in Lexden in September 2012.

Hennebry was involved in the fight before Edward Redman, then aged 18 and from Halstead Road, stabbed Jay to death. Both fled together.

Hennebry admitted one charge of affray in relation to the attack on Jay.

He denied another affray committed the night before the fatal party, but was convicted after a trial and sentenced to a total of three years.

Judge Charles Gratwicke QC described him as part of a gang out of control on the streets of Colchester.

Mrs Shearer said: “He is back on the streets. He won’t have learnt anything.

“He is back out after 18 months. It is ridiculous.”

Following the trials, footage was released of Redman and Hennebry laughing and joking having left the party.

Later it shows them on a bus when Redman receives a text telling him the innocent boy he stabbed was dead.

Several conditions have been imposed on Hennebry while he serves the rest of his sentence in the community.

They include not to contact or communicate any members of Jay’s family.

He is also banned from parts of Colchester town centre, Alresford, Clacton and Braintree.

Mrs Shearer was informed he was released on December 7.