Paris (AFP) – A French football supporter who beat to death another fan of French top flight side Paris Saint Germain on Wednesday received a five-year jail term.

Jeremy Banh, 35, was convicted of killing 37-year-old Yann Lorence while a second accused, Romain Lafon, was acquitted.

Both men had faced up to six years in prison.

Banh will serve three years with the remainder of his sentence suspended.

Lafon, 37, remains in jail as he is serving two years for his role in a violent clash with supporters of Swedish side Malmo.

The pair, answering a charge of involuntary homicide and insisting they were innocent, were among a group who attacked Lorence on February 28, 2010 outside the Parc des Princes, the home of French champions PSG.

He died after a fortnight in a coma.

Former club president Robin Leproux said the clashes occurred between hard-left and hard-right fans and that Lorence had been caught in the middle as the respective groups charged each other.

Lafon and his defence team insisted he had nothing to do with the incident which he described as a “lynching by cowards.”

Banh on the other hand admitted in police questioning kicking the victim before withdrawing from the fray.

His defence counsel said the case against him was by no means proven.

On the opening day of the trial, one witness was assaulted outside the court, leading to the arrest of four men.