Homeless murder: Teens jailed

Three teenagers who kicked and beat a homeless man to death for a dare have been jailed in Liverpool.

Connor Doran, 17, his brother Brandon who is 14, and their friend Simon Evans who is also 14, were all convicted of murder in February.

ITV News Correspondent Rupert Evelyn reports from Liverpool:

Kevin Bennett died in hospital six days after the beating in the early hours of 17th August last year.

Mr Bennett, who was described as "vulnerable" and a "heavy drinker" by the prosecution, suffered a fractured eye socket, a collapsed lung and a broken ribcage which detached from his chest.

The Recorder described Mr Bennett as a "much loved son and father" who found "his main comfort" in alcohol.

Speaking outside court, Mr Bennett's cousin Angela Connerty, 49, said: "Justice has been done and that's all we wanted as a family.

"We've had justice for his mother, she can now sit down and grieve knowing they have been put away.

"She's not here today because she couldn't face it.

"Why did they pick on him? We keep asking, and we'll never, ever know why they did that to him."

She described Mr Bennett as "fabulous".

She added: "He wouldn't harm anybody, wouldn't hurt a fly. He would run round and do anything for anybody. Just a lovely person."

The Doran brothers' mother, Linda Doran, 42, was jailed for 30 months after being convicted by the trial jury of perverting the course of public justice by providing false alibis for her sons.

Ms Doran's son, Ryan, 23, was convicted of murder and jailed for life last October after he attacked a complete stranger with a bottle in a takeaway shop.

The judge told her: "You have another son who is serving life for murder. There are not many parents who have that sort of personal agony to bear.

"But then again not that many mothers would have shown themselves to be either so unwilling or unable to shoulder the responsibility of motherhood as you have."

During her own trial, Linda's second son, Jordan, 21, was held in contempt of court by Recorder Goldstone after being caught using a mobile phone to take photographs in the courtroom.

Three teenage boys have been jailed for beating a homeless man to death following a dare.

Brothers Connor Doran, 17, and Brandon Doran, 14, and their friend Simon Evans, also 14, attacked Kevin Bennett, 53, as he slept rough outside a supermarket in Liverpool.

During their trial at Liverpool Crown Court, the jury was told that Connor had goaded Evans by saying: "I bet you haven't got it in you to do him in."

Evans later told his friend: "I started kicking him, I booted him and now he's dead," the court heard.

The prosecution said that Brandon Doran stood look-out during the attack.