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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Three jailed for father's murder | Three jailed for father's murder |
| (30 minutes later) | |
| Two men and a teenager have been jailed for life for murdering a father who they kicked and stamped to death while trying to burgle his house. | |
| Curtis Delima, 19, Mark Elliott, 21, and Gerry Cusden, 16, were found guilty of murdering Mark Witherall, 47. | Curtis Delima, 19, Mark Elliott, 21, and Gerry Cusden, 16, were found guilty of murdering Mark Witherall, 47. |
| They turned on Mr Witherall in January last year after he confronted them in his home in Whitstable, Kent. | |
| Delima was told he will serve a minimum of 20 years, Elliott at least 23 years and Cusden at least 16 years. | Delima was told he will serve a minimum of 20 years, Elliott at least 23 years and Cusden at least 16 years. |
| Judge Timothy Pontius said the trio, who were found guilty last month after a nine-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court, had behaved like a "pack of hyenas". | Judge Timothy Pontius said the trio, who were found guilty last month after a nine-week trial at Maidstone Crown Court, had behaved like a "pack of hyenas". |
| 'Savagery and force' | |
| "The three of you intended to hurt Mark Witherall very badly, as together you kicked and stamped on him as he lay utterly defenceless on the ground," he said. | |
| "The fatal injuries were by repeated blows with feet, not heavily shod but wearing trainers, a fact which underlines the savagery and force behind those kicks, leading to massive internal bleeding." | |
| The jury heard CCTV footage of the attack, which captured the attackers' voices as they kicked and stamped on Mr Witherall. | The jury heard CCTV footage of the attack, which captured the attackers' voices as they kicked and stamped on Mr Witherall. |
| Gerry Cusden, Mark Elliott and Curtis Delima were jailed for life | |
| The court was told they had been to a party attended by Mr Witherall's partner, Sally George, 47, after drinking all day. | The court was told they had been to a party attended by Mr Witherall's partner, Sally George, 47, after drinking all day. |
| They took her house keys from her bag when she was not looking and let themselves into her property to look for valuables. | They took her house keys from her bag when she was not looking and let themselves into her property to look for valuables. |
| When Mr Witherall woke up and chased them out of the house Elliot picked up a spirit level which he gave to Delima who then hit the 47-year-old in the face. | When Mr Witherall woke up and chased them out of the house Elliot picked up a spirit level which he gave to Delima who then hit the 47-year-old in the face. |
| The group kicked and stamped on him as he lay on the ground before stealing items from the house. | The group kicked and stamped on him as he lay on the ground before stealing items from the house. |
| Mr Witherall, who had two daughters aged 30 and 10 and an eight-year-old son, was on a life-support machine in hospital until his death on 7 March last year. | Mr Witherall, who had two daughters aged 30 and 10 and an eight-year-old son, was on a life-support machine in hospital until his death on 7 March last year. |
| The jury also found Elliot guilty of conspiracy to murder. Delima and Cusden, who was aged 15 at the time of the attack, had previously pleaded guilty to the charge. | |
| A 21-year-old woman, Carley Firminger, was cleared of the murder. | A 21-year-old woman, Carley Firminger, was cleared of the murder. |