A 21-year-old man who admitted killing a teenager after an incident at a nightclub has been jailed for 30 months.

Christopher Britcliffe, of John Street, Clayton-le-Moors denied murdering 18-year-old Gavin Tattersall on May 26 last year, but pleaded guilty to manslaughter.

His father, Ian Britcliffe, 42, also of John Street, and a doorman at Churchills nightclub in Accrington, admitted assaulting Mr Tattersall and was sentenced to a two-year community rehabilitation order.

He had already served the equivalent of a three-month sentence. A third man, Kenneth Halstead, 42, of South View, Haslingden, denied a separate assault charge involving another man, and no evidence was offered and a not guilty verdict was entered.

Mr Tattersall, 18, of Cambridge Drive, Padiham died of head injuries following an incident at Churchills.

Anthony Russell QC, prosecuting, told Preston Crown court Churchills was busy with 240 to 250 people.

Mr Tattersall had been out with about eight men around Padiham, Great Harwood and Accrington celebrating an 18th birthday.

At about 12.15 to 12.30am the group was on the dance floor when a group of 6 or 7 men including Christopher Britcliffe seemed to be paying attention to them making them feel uncomfortable.

"He was acting provocatively by dancing up to them aggressively, apparently trying to start a fight," said Mr Russell.

Kevin Coates who was in the same group as Mr Tattersall went to the toilet where he felt a punch to the back of his head. He looked round and saw Britcliffe junior gesturing as if wanting to start a fight.

Mr Coates was ejected by doorman Mr Halstead after he hit Britcliffe in the face causing him to stagger backwards.

"Meanwhile the remainder of the group decided to leave the club. Christopher Britcliffe was seen to punch Gavin Tattersall in the face and knock him off his feet. This caused him to fall backwards to the floor with a thud as his head hit the floor," said Mr Russell.

Witnesses described Mr Tattersall as not moving, it seemed he was unconscious or semi-conscious.

Ian Britcliffe picked up Mr Tattersall and took him to the main entrance.

He held him against a wall and was heard to say in abusive terms "Why did you kick him in the head?".

Mr Russell said it was not clear if the remark was directed at Mr Tattersall or his son who was standing nearby. There was no evidence Mr Tattersall had done anything to provoke an attack.

"At this stage Gavin Tattersall fell down the steps -- Mr Tattersall twisted round and hit his head on the steps.... A thud was also heard at this point."

From the steps Ian Britcliffe and Kenneth Halstead carried Mr Tattersall back into the club and some of the evidence suggests that his head banged on the steps in this process," said Mr Russell.

He said arising from what was admitted to be inappropriate treatment of an obviously injured person, Ian Britcliffe had pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

Mr Tattersall never regained consciousness and was kept in intensive care for 36 hours. On Monday, May 27 he was pronounced dead and later that day life support machinery was turned off.

There were three significant injuries to the head.

Mr Justice Mitchell said no one would know if Gavin could have or would have survived, if things had stopped there and he had been treated properly.

John Rowe QC defending Christopher Britcliffe said he had delivered a single punch that caused Mr Tattersall to receive an injury that contributed significantly to his death.

The pressure on Britcliffe had been enormous when he was charged with murder and also in the last few months.

Britcliffe had not callously thrown or allowed Mr Tattersall to fall down the steps, he said.

Passing sentence, Mr Justice Mitchell said: "The loss of a son and a brother in circumstances such as this occasion is a tragedy you would wish on no one. The pain is searing and it is perpetual."