The wife of a man stabbed to death while out celebrating her birthday says his killer should “rot in hell” after finding out he could be released next year.

Gasps rang out in the Victorian Supreme Court this morning as Spencer Shumski, 22, was sentenced to a maximum six years behind bars for the manslaughter of Clint Allen.

Shumski was given a non-parole period of three years and, with time already served, he could be released as early as May 2026.

Allen’s wife Rebekah said the sentence devalued her husband’s life, while Shumski was free to return to his next year.

“I hope he rots in hell and I’d rather him dead,” she told reporters outside of court.

Shumski was originally charged with murder over Allen’s death but a jury instead found him guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Allen, 38, was out celebrating Rebekah’s birthday on the evening of May 6, 2023, when one of his friends was ejected from a Sale pub.

Michael Callow, who has since died, was removed from the venue after allegedly groping women, taking a phone and fighting with other patrons.

Allen and his friends also left and as they were walking away from the pub, Callow clashed with Shumski who was heading to a McDonald’s.

The men had a physical altercation and Shumski pulled out a knife, slashing Callow in the knee.

Allen rushed at Shumski to defend his friend and tried to punch him, but Shumski swung his knife in return and stabbed Allen twice in the chest.

Allen fell to the ground and died at the scene, while Shumski fled.

He then sent a series of messages, telling friends he did something terrible and he could be facing 10 years’ jail.

Shumski – who was on bail for firearm and drug offences – handed himself in to police the next day, telling investigators he was acting in self-defence.

Justice Michael Croucher accepted Shumski believed if he did not defend himself against the older and larger Callow, he would have been harmed.

But Shumski should have “turned the other cheek” and walked away instead of producing a knife in the fight, Justice Croucher said.

“No good can come from carrying weapons like these – it just has to stop,” he said in sentencing.

The judge also accepted Shumski would have been caught off guard by Allen’s approach and he reacted in the heat of the moment.

“He believed if he did not defend himself he would go to ground and have his head stomped on,” Justice Croucher said.

The judge found while Shumski appreciated the devastating consequences of his actions, he was yet to show full remorse.

But Shumski was still a young man who had good prospects and it was in the community’s interest that his rehabilitation was optimised, Justice Croucher said.

Shumski showed little reaction as his sentence was read out, while Allen’s supporters scoffed and gasped.

Outside court, Allen’s mother-in-law Dianne Thomson-Green said Shumski was given a get out of jail free card, while his cousin Angela Dobbin said the justice system needed an overhaul.

“These people need to be held accountable for what they do,” Dobbin told AAP.

“We’ve got a lifetime of our joker not being in our lives and now (Shumski) gets to get out in 12 months.”

Rebekah Allen said her life had been forever changed but she was hoping her husband’s death would not be in vain.

“The only thing I can think about going forward is to push for change in regard to bail laws … and to push for minimum sentences for manslaughter,” she told reporters.

“I want to make something come of this for the next family.”

Dozens of supporters were also in court for Shumski, although they did not visibly react to the sentence.