FIVE boys aged between 12 and 14 burst into tears yesterday as they were convicted of "a completely unnecessary, pointless and random attack" after killing a man while he was playing cricket with his son.

 

Ernest Norton, 67, collapsed from a heart attack after being hit by stones and spat at outside a leisure centre.

 

The five boys, one of whom was only ten at the time of the attack, were found guilty of manslaughter and violent disorder at the Old Bailey.

 

Police said the gang had been hell-bent on causing trouble.

 

Two brothers aged 12 and 13, and three youths aged 14, none of whom can be named for legal reasons, were remanded on bail for sentencing on 19 October.

 

Women on the jury wept as the youngsters sobbed uncontrollably and clung to their parents in the dock. They looked shocked as the guilty verdicts were delivered.

 

The court was told Mr Norton had been playing cricket with his 17-year-old son, James, on a Sunday afternoon in February last year when they came under a hail of missiles.

 

Two stones, one the size of half a brick, struck him on the temple and fractured his cheekbone, and he collapsed to the ground.

 

As he lay dying on the tennis court, his wife, Linda, rushed to his side, holding his hand and calling his name. Mr Norton, for 30 years a house husband who enjoyed nothing more than looking after his two children, died at the scene.

 

Mr Norton had gone with his son and wife to their local leisure centre in Erith, Kent, and while Mrs Norton went to the gym, he and his son set up stumps in a tennis court outside for some bowling practice.

 

But they were soon surrounded by up to 20 youths, who began to shout insults including "Rubbish bowler" and "Go back to the old people's home".

 

Mr Norton went to the gate to try to scare the boys off but they threw stones, rocks and pieces of wood at him and he collapsed, bleeding heavily.

 

"We were just keeping ourselves to ourselves," James said during the trial. "It just seemed they wanted to pick on someone."

 

David Fisher QC, prosecuting, told the jury: "This was a completely unnecessary, pointless and random attack."

 

He said Mr Norton was in good health on the Sunday when he died, but "the stress and trauma of abuse and a physical attack would make him vulnerable to a heart attack".

 

Mr Fisher added: "Their youth is no defence. They were quite old enough to know that to abuse Ernest Norton and his son was wrong and that to throw stones and pieces of wood at them was wrong."

 

The boys belonged to a gang called TNE and earlier that day, armed with a baseball bat, had met up with another group of youths for a fight.

 

They had also been amusing themselves by smashing windows in a disused factory and being "mouthy" to staff at the leisure centre.

 

As the boys ran off after attacking Mr Norton, a nearby resident heard one saying, "I think I got him", while another neighbour saw a boy crying and calling out, "He's dead, he's dead."

 

Boys' behaviour had worried court staff

 

THE boys' tearful reaction was in sharp contrast to their behaviour throughout the month-long trial.

 

Judge Warwick McKinnon was forced to order the parents to keep the boys under control after complaints from court staff about their behaviour.

 

He said: "It has been brought to my attention that the defendants are wandering around unaccompanied and conducting themselves in such a way that staff members are worried they may well get up to mischief."

 

Two of them had been seen hanging out of windows, he said, and the behaviour had been causing court staff "concern or worry".

 

One of the 14-year-olds was seen screwing up his jumper to rest his head on while he nodded off during the trial.

 

Damaris Lakin, a Crown Prosecution Service lawyer, said: "This case highlights the need for young people in gangs who engage in anti-social behaviour to accept responsibility for the consequences of their criminal activities.

 

"Ernest Norton was enjoying a game of cricket with his 17-year-old son James and as a direct result of the actions of this gang, that game ended in his tragic death."

 

She praised the courage of young witnesses who had given evidence against the boys.

 

Source: Scotsman

 

They weren't to know it'd cause a heart attack and kill him, BUT this was an act of sheer idiocy and malice. ANY 12 year old (or still 10 at the time) knows that throwing rocks at someone is anti-social, stupid and downright dangerous, and it was done, IMO, purely out of nastyness. Lock em up.

Their behaviour during the trial shows that they still haven't fully comprehended what they've done and felt the necessary remorse. They may be young, but yeah, lock the $h!ts up.

Their behaviour during the trial shows that they still haven't fully comprehended what they've done and felt the necessary remorse. They may be young, but yeah, lock the $h!ts up.

 

I totally agree. I didn't kill anyone at that age or bully anyone. The judges forget that children in this day and age aren't innocent like they were years ago.

 

It seems like if you want to kill someone, do it while you're a minor and you'll get away with it...or wait until you're a pensioner so you get the pity vote again.

I totally agree. I didn't kill anyone at that age or bully anyone. The judges forget that children in this day and age aren't innocent like they were years ago.

 

It seems like if you want to kill someone, do it while you're a minor and you'll get away with it...or wait until you're a pensioner so you get the pity vote again.

 

Or hit them with your car.