The husband of a mother-of-two who died in a horrific boat crash in Brazil has spoken of his disappointment after two men convicted of killing her avoided jail.

Boatmen Raimundo Nonato Lima and Mailson Gomes were found guilty of the equivalent of manslaughter by a judge in Manaus.

But despite assuring Gillian Metcalf's family that the men would be jailed, the judge has commuted their prison sentences to two years and eight months of community service.

Lawyer Mrs Metcalf, 50, was killed when two boats collided on a family holiday in Brazil in September, 2013.

Her husband Charlie Metcalf, of Plummer Lane, Tenterden, who was with her at the time, said the family may appeal against the sentence.

“I am still trying to find out what it means,” he said. “Is their community service half a day or week or five days a week?

“We are delighted at the verdict, but think the sentence sends out the wrong message and will not act as a sufficient deterrent to other reckless river boat pilots.”

The Metcalfs and their daughters Alice and Natasha were just days into a 12-day holiday when the accident happened.

They were travelling on the Rio Negro when their boat collided with the other one.

Mr Metcalf and his daughters campaigned for justice and travelled to Manaus to press their case on Brazilian media.

He and Alice also gave evidence at the mens’ trial. Last month, the judge indicated to them that he would convict both boat pilots of the equivalent of manslaughter and that they would be jailed.

The judge also went on television and said he was considering a jail term of between one and three years.

Mr Metcalf said: “We had been warned that the community service might happen so it was not a complete shock.

“But it was a surprise because the judge had said he would jail them. The reason he gave for not jailing them was that they had no previous convictions, but in the hearing it came out that our pilot did have a criminal conviction.

“Maybe we can appeal because of that. I am still making inquiries.

“We may have to accept that this is as good as we will get.

“Something has been achieved from this. The pilots communities know what they did and they will have it on their consciences for the rest of their lives.”

Mrs Metcalf had been a partner at Sharratts affordable housing law firm, based in Brasted, since 1999.

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