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Stoning death boys found guilty Stoning death boys found guilty
(30 minutes later)
Five boys have been found guilty of killing a father of two as he played cricket with his teenage son on an outdoor tennis court.Five boys have been found guilty of killing a father of two as he played cricket with his teenage son on an outdoor tennis court.
Ernest Norton, 67, suffered a fatal heart attack when he was pelted with sticks and stones in Erith, south-east London, in February last year. Ernest Norton, 67, suffered a heart attack in Erith, south-east London, when he was pelted with stones and sticks by the group.
An Old Bailey jury heard Mr Norton was hit on the head at least twice.An Old Bailey jury heard Mr Norton was hit on the head at least twice.
The boys, now aged between 12 and 14, were found guilty of manslaughter and violent disorder.The boys, now aged between 12 and 14, were found guilty of manslaughter and violent disorder.
We were just keeping ourselves to ourselves... it just seemed they wanted to pick on someone James Norton, son class="" href="/1/hi/england/london/6967390.stm">Wife and son watched him die Mr Norton had set up stumps with his 17-year-old son James in a tennis court outside Erith Leisure Centre to practise bowling. They will be sentenced on 19 October.
But they were approached by up to 20 youths, who began shouting abuse including, "rubbish bowler" and "go back to the old people's home". After the sentences were read out, the defendants, some of them in tears, clung to their parents in the dock.
Mr Norton tried to scare the boys off but they threw stones, rocks and pieces of wood at him and he collapsed bleeding heavily. The mother of the two of the accused put her arms round them and kissed them.
"We were just keeping ourselves to ourselves," Mr Norton's son told the court. We were just keeping ourselves to ourselves... it just seemed they wanted to pick on someone James Norton, son class="" href="/1/hi/england/london/6967390.stm">Wife and son watched him die
Mr Norton had set up stumps with his 17-year-old son James in a tennis court outside Erith Leisure Centre in February 2006 to practise bowling.
But they were approached by up to 20 youths who began shouting abuse including, "rubbish bowler" and "go back to the old people's home".
Mr Norton tried to scare them 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 Norton told the court.
"It just seemed they wanted to pick on someone.""It just seemed they wanted to pick on someone."
'Youth no excuse''Youth no excuse'
James and Mrs Norton watched as an off-duty police officer tried to resuscitate Mr Norton, but it was too late. James and his mother Linda watched as an off-duty police officer tried to resuscitate Mr Norton but without success.
The former engineering draughtsman had run the family home since losing his job in the early eighties. The former engineering draughtsman had run the family home since losing his job when his wife was pregnant with their first child, Gemma, now 26.
The court heard Mr Norton underwent a triple heart bypass operation in 1977, but since then had enjoyed a "fit and active" lifestyle.The court heard Mr Norton underwent a triple heart bypass operation in 1977, but since then had enjoyed a "fit and active" lifestyle.
David Fisher QC, prosecuting, told the jury: "This was a completely unnecessary, pointless and random attack."David Fisher QC, prosecuting, told the jury: "This was a completely unnecessary, pointless and random attack."
He said "the stress and trauma of abuse and a physical attack would make him vulnerable to a heart attack".He said "the stress and trauma of abuse and a physical attack would make him vulnerable to a heart attack".
"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. "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."
"I expect they deeply regret the death and no doubt did not intend that he should die. 'Bit of fun'
He added: "I expect they deeply regret the death and no doubt did not intend that he should die.
"But it was their joint course of conduct, quite probably with others, that caused his death.""But it was their joint course of conduct, quite probably with others, that caused his death."
Earlier in the day the boys, armed with a baseball bat, had met up with another group of youths for a fight, the court heard.
Only one of the accused, now aged 14, gave evidence at the trial. He admitted spitting at Mr Norton and that it was "stupid", "revolting" and "appalling".
He said he was only throwing stones to try to knock over stumps and wreck the cricket game, for a "bit of fun".
He added the boys had ended up at the leisure centre because there was "nothing else to do".