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Boys sentenced for stoning death | Boys sentenced for stoning death |
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Five boys have been given custodial sentences for pelting a father with stones who then died of a heart attack. | Five boys have been given custodial sentences for pelting a father with stones who then died of a heart attack. |
Ernest Norton, 67, was playing cricket with his son at a leisure centre in Erith, south-east London, when he was attacked in February 2006. | Ernest Norton, 67, was playing cricket with his son at a leisure centre in Erith, south-east London, when he was attacked in February 2006. |
The boys, now aged between 12 and 14, were convicted of manslaughter and violent disorder in August. | The boys, now aged between 12 and 14, were convicted of manslaughter and violent disorder in August. |
They received sentences of two years each from the judge who described their behaviour as "disgraceful". | They received sentences of two years each from the judge who described their behaviour as "disgraceful". |
An Old Bailey jury heard Mr Norton was hit on the head at least twice. | |
It just seemed they wanted to pick on someone James Norton, son Wife and son watched him die Parents told to control boys | |
Mr Norton had set up stumps with his 17-year-old son James in a tennis court 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." | |
James and his mother Linda watched as an off-duty police officer tried in vain to resuscitate Mr Norton. |