Wednesday, February 27, 2013

'I bet you haven't got it in you to do him in': Teenage boys beat homeless man to death 'for a dare'

Three boys who beat a homeless man to death for a dare were convicted of murder yesterday.
The teenagers - two aged 14 and a 17-year-old who cannot be named because of their ages - attacked Kevin Bennett, 53, as he slept rough outside a supermarket in Liverpool.
Mr Bennett died in hospital six days after the beating in the early hours of August 17 last year.

During their trial at Liverpool Crown Court, the jury was told the 17-year-old had goaded one of the 14-year-olds in to the attack by saying: 'I bet you haven’t got it in you to do him in'.
The court heard the younger boy later told his friend: 'I started kicking him, I booted him and now he’s dead'.
The second 14-year-old acted as a look-out as the attack took place, the prosecution said.
The three boys had denied murder but were convicted today by a unanimous jury of seven women and five men following 13 hours of deliberations after a four week trial.
The first 14-year-old closed his eyes and put his forehead against the glass dock as the verdicts were delivered.
The two other boys showed no emotion.
In the public gallery, members of Mr Bennett’s family sobbed.
The boys shared the dock with Linda Doran, 42, from Liverpool, who was convicted of perverting the course of public justice by providing false alibis for two defendants.

All four were remanded in custody for sentencing in the week commencing April 15.
Trial judge, Recorder Clement Goldstone QC, ordered psychiatric and psychological assessments of the boys to be carried out by a expert adolescent psychiatrist.
Convicted: All three teenagers - two aged 14 and one 17-year-old - denied murder but were found guilty by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court
Convicted: All three teenagers - two aged 14 and one 17-year-old - denied murder but were found guilty by a jury at Liverpool Crown Court
DAILYMAIL

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