Flat killers must serve 16 years

http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/7121720.stm

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Three men who battered and kicked a neighbour to death have been ordered to serve at least 16 years of their life jail terms for murder.

David Hamilton, 40, was beaten around the head with a brick and a television in 2004 at his flat in Ballybeen.

William Anderson, 25, Gareth Anderson, 24, both Gleneagles Gardens, Mark Kincaid, 26, of Ardmore Avenue, Dundonald, were convicted last October.

Mr Justice Hart said he would not distinguish between the men.

He said that "no doubt that everyone present in that room bears the same degree of guilt".

The Ulster Hospital porter had been living in the same block of flats as the Andersons, who are brothers, in the Ballybeen estate when he was subjected to what was described as "an exceptionally brutal and prolonged attack".

Downpatrick Crown Court judge Mr Justice Hart, sitting in Belfast, said no reason for the attack has ever been established or put forward given that each of the accused maintained their denials that they took part in the attack or were even at Mr Hamilton's flat.