A mum-of-three from Chatham who was jailed for trying to help a brutal killer avoid justice, has been set free by top judges who ruled she deserved ‘mercy’.

And Kelly Wicker’s ‘weak’, yet ‘dangerous’, partner and his ‘arrogant’ murderer cousin have also had their jail terms cut.

George French, 40, of Ansell Avenue, Chatham, was caged for life at Canterbury Crown Court on December 11 last year.

He was ordered to serve a minimum term of 18 years after being convicted of the murder of father of one, Michael Tierney, 33.

William Fleming, 28, of White Road, Chatham, was convicted of manslaughter and he was jailed for 12 years, with three extra years on licence following his release, after the judge condemned him as a public danger.

Wicker, 29, of Chalice Court, Haig Avenue, Chatham, was jailed for three years and four months, she had admitted perverting the course of justice.

French was out in Chatham celebrating his 39th birthday on June 16 last year, Lord Justice Hamblen told London’s Appeal Court today.

He was captured on CCTV appearing ‘very drunk’ and acting in a ‘threatening’ manner to staff at a local shop.

He ended up in an alleyway near the home of family man Mr Tierney.

French knocked down a gate put up by the victim and was abusive towards Mr Tierney’s partner.

Mr Tierney, of Glencoe Road, ran after him with a pick axe handle, said the judge. But French disarmed him and turned the weapon against him.

His cousin, Fleming, walked past and got involved in the attack and stamped on Mr Tierney.

They fled together to Fleming’s home, where his partner, Wicker, washed French’s clothes and bleached the weapon.

Mr Tierney was found lying face down in the street in Haig Avenue, and was airlifted to hospital but medics were unable to save his life.

The judge who jailed the trio, Adele Williams, described it as a ‘brutal killing’.

‘Arrogant’ French acted out of ‘revenge and anger’ during a ‘savage, brutal and sustained beating, she’d said.

Both he and Fleming, ‘a weak man who could not resist in joining in violence’, were convicted on ‘clear and compelling evidence’, the court heard last year.

And Wicker took ‘active steps to destroy evidence’.

Her barrister, Paul Valder, argued her jail term was far too tough. She had found herself in ‘an almost impossible situation’, he said.

Her actions, he added, had no real effect on the investigation.

He urged the judges to “show mercy” on the mother of three young children.

Lord Justice Hamblen agreed Wicker’s jail term was manifestly excessive.

The judge, who was sitting with Mr Justice Holgate and Judge Peter Rook QC, reduced her sentence to two years.

After the hearing, Mr Valder, said this meant she would be released straight away.

Fleming had his jail term reduced from 12 to 10 years.

The judges rejected claims that he was not dangerous and his extended licence period of three years remains in place.

French’s minimum jail term was cut from 18 years to 16 years, but his appeal against conviction was dismissed.