Appeal in kicking-death sentence

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The Lord Advocate has lodged an appeal against the sentence given to a teenager who kicked a man to death in the street in Dundee.

James Simpson, 16, was sent to jail for four years in June for the culpable homicide of father-of-two Steven Jones. Mr Jones, 33, from Worcestershire, had been visiting family in the city when he was attacked in Dens Road.

The Lord Advocate, Elish Angiolini, has the right to appeal against a sentence if she feels it is unduly lenient.

Simpson had been drinking heavily before the attack on Mr Jones in July last year.

Head injuries

He claimed he snapped and was acting in self-defence after a friend of the victim hit him with a bottle.

He ran away after the assault and minutes later was recorded on CCTV demonstrating how he had stamped on Mr Jones.

When police caught up with him he had blood on his shoes.

During the trial, doctors told the court that the victim's head injuries were among the worst they had seen in a kicking case.

One witness described the assault as being like "someone kicking a football".

Simpson had originally been charged with murder, but was later convicted of culpable homicide.