Jailed for life: Youths who kicked former soldier to death

Four youths who kicked and beat a former soldier to death, three of them while on bail or serving community sentences, were jailed for life today.

The four teenagers had gathered in a lonely motorway underpass and rang a friend to say they were "waiting to beat up someone".

They had been drinking brandy and strong beer and smoking cannabis before they launched the fatal attack on 55-year-old Stephen Green.

Sentencing Judge John Bevan branded the youths' behaviour as "feral" and said it was "chance" that Mr Green was the first person to come along.

Mr Green, a bachelor, was cycling home from work late at night when he was ambushed. He was kicked, stamped on and battered by the yobs, who had been drinking heavily.

He clung on to life in hospital for nine days before dying from a blood clot in his lungs caused by his injuries.

His rucksack, which contained just £5.65 in change, was found discarded near the scene of the attack with the money still inside.

Nicholas Garland, 18, Shane Liddy, 19, Richard McNamara, 19, and Darryll Bennett, 18, all of Luton, were all handed life sentences for murder at Luton Crown Court today.

Bennett was identified as the ringleader of the pack and told he will be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure and must serve a minimum term of 19 years.

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He was out on bail for two robberies and a theft at the time of the attack. He will serve a three-year jail term for this offence concurrently with his new sentence.

Garland, who has no previous convictions, was also detained at Her Majesty's pleasure and will serve a minimum of 12 years.

Liddy and MacNamara were old enough to be given life sentences.

Liddy was serving a 12-month community sentence and was under an intensive supervision and surveillance order for attempted robbery when he attacked Mr Green.

He had also completed a programme of work, some of it helping young children, with the Prince's Trust two weeks before the attack. His group leader wrote a letter to court praising his hard work.

Liddy was told he must serve a minimum term of 16 years.

MacNamara was on bail while awaiting sentence for robbing a 16-year-old two months before the murder. He has now pleaded guilty to the offence and was handed an 18 month sentence today which will run concurrently to his life sentence.

He will serve a minimum term of 15 years in jail.

All four were also sentenced to three years, the two youngest will serve the term in a young offenders institution, for a second charge of conspiracy to rob Mr Green.