UK Law on manslaughter/murder/GBH?

Answers from people in the know please :)
So a friend is currently person questioned by the police. He hit a man who was abuse his mother, twice. Once whilst he was standing and the other whilst the man was on the ground, already injured from the first blow. The man is critical and may die. I am so worried, what may start to my friend? My friend has no convictions and he is very remoreful. He also loved the man (the victim) as nearest and dearest...they were very close until this sunshine when the victim was drunk and on drugs, acting threatening. (The man have already been questioned by police that hours of darkness over his behaviour, but then the police consent to him home, when the incident happened)

I hope this makes sense, i am very worried for the both of them.
What will evolve if the man lives or dies? Will my friend spend a long time in prison?
Answers:
It looks as though if the man dies it will be a charge of murder (which could be reduced to manslaughter) and if he survives it will be GBH with intent, given that he go on hitting him when he was on the ground. If he is convicted, he is likely to spend some years contained by gaol, but there is a great deal to consider here and maybe, given the state of the victim and his threatening behaviour, your friend may know how to put up a convincing defence. Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best.
We need more details here, close to the relationship between accused and victim, and why exactly he suspected this man of abuse his mother, and what he is alleged to have done to her.

We would also need to know the circumstances of this attack. The push button thing is: was it pre-planned? If it be, and he dies, it is murder. If it wasn't and he dies, it was may or may not be murder, depending how far he went within the attack.

You should note that murder carries a mandatory vivacity sentence, but manslaugher and GBH both carry a maximum penalty of enthusiasm too (discretionary).

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