Tammey Crain, 22, of Springfield Avenue, Banbury, was previously found guilty at trial of assisting an offender after concealing evidence and giving false statements to the police.

Her father James Crain was jailed for two-and-a-half years last month for manslaughter after delivering a single punch to Mr Batts, 64, in September last year, causing him to fall and fracture his skull. He later died in hospital.

Tammey Crain had her sentencing adjourned until a hearing at Oxford Crown Court today (Friday), where she was described as "immature" and driven by a loyalty to her father.

Rachel Bright, defending, said: "She was like a child caught in a lie. Once she had started, the more difficult it became to extract herself from it. She was driven by a misguided loyalty to her father."

Mrs Bright added Crain had felt a burden of guilt for her father's conviction after he came to the boat and confronted his friend Mr Batts for allegedly locking her in and making a pass at her.

"If she had not gone down to the boat that night then none of this would have happened," said Mrs Bright.

"She has borne a sense of responsibility that had it not been for her, her father might not be in this situation."

Summing up, Judge Julian Hall said: "Tammey Crain: your father killed somebody.

"You knew that your father had been involved in a dispute with that man, who was a friend of his and yours.

"The reason why he was there at all was because, it is said, the dead man made a pass at you and you summoned your father to help.

"I can understand how you feel guilty for the offence that happened, you knew that your father's friend had died.

"You shut your mind to the possibility that your father's actions had caused it and as I understand it you still don't accept it.

"You don't seem to be able to accept that he died because he fractured his skull because your father had him on his back.

"The result of all that is that when you were interviewed by the police you lied and you gave him an alibi.

"The result of that was that this whole investigation was delayed by seven months - your father, who had killed somebody, just roamed the streets for that length of time.

"You are young, you are younger than your years but in my judgment you are quite old enough to know what you were doing.

"In my judgment, this is much to serious for you not to go to prison."

Miss Crain was jailed for six months but told she will be released early.