THE killer jailed for kicking Accrington father-of-seven Ray Hampson to death trained with the Samaritans while he was awaiting trial.

Mr Hampson's devastated family have expressed surprise that a man who was being held in custody charged with murder, as he was at the time, should be allowed to undertake such work.

Steven Taylor, 24, of Aitken Street, Accrington, was last week jailed for five years after admitting the manslaughter of part-time doorman Mr Hampson outside the Bees Knees pub in the town in December 1997.

David Turner QC, defending Taylor, told the judge at Preston Crown Court: "He may look a tough young man but he is not a bully boy and he has not touched drugs while he has been in prison.

"The letters from the local prison reveal a different side to this young man. He is helpful and respectful.

"He has completed a Samaritans course. "You might think, bearing in mind what you have heard, that he is a most unlikely sympathetic listener, but that is what he is.

"He is trying to help others as well as himself."

Mr Turner told the court how Taylor had kicked and punched Mr Hampson in what he described as a "courageous" intervention on behalf of one of his friends.

Mr Hampson's sister Christine Quelch said: "To hear them say those things about Taylor in court was unbelievable. They made him out to be an angel.

"All I know is he still has his life ahead of him, but Ray hasn't, because of him."

Mr Hampson, of Slaidburn Drive, Accrington, left seven children of his own and was also regarded as a father-figure by the six children of his girlfriend Elaine Radcliffe.

A spokesman for the Samaritans in Blackburn, Hyndburn and the Ribble Valley said the listening work that prisoners undertake does not involve telephone work or contact with the general public.

The spokesman said: "We go into prisons and befriend inmates in most of the region's prisons.

"We also train inmates to be listeners within the prison.

"They can befriend other inmates and listen to their problems.

"It is face to face, one to one work.

"The prisoners who become listeners are selected by the prison officers.

"This training does not make the person a Samaritan.

" If a person wanted to become a Samaritan when they came out of prison they would need to train fully with us.

"We would also decide whether that person was suitable to become a Samaritan in the light of the offences they have committed.

"We do not take people who have committed sex crimes.

"In cases such as manslaughter we judge each case on its own merits.

"But not many inmates apply to become Samaritans on their release."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.