Youth guilty of gay man's killing

A teenager who killed a gay man after hurling homophobic abuse at him, has been detained for more than two years in a young offenders' institution.

David Smith, 20, of Bexley, south-east London, pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the Old Bailey in February.

The court heard the victim, ex-lorry driver Ronald Dixon, 61, was subjected to abuse and spat at before being punched to the ground, fatally injured.

In sentencing, the judge said he was not treating the killing as homophobic.

'Gratuitous violence'

Smith, who was detained for two-and-a-half years, and three friends had been yelling taunts at Mr Dixon from a window, near the victim's flat in Charlton, south London, in May 2008.

Mr Dixon was spat on from a window and later punched in the face by Smith on the pavement below. He died from head injuries after his head hit the road.

The Common Serjeant of London, Judge Brian Barker, told Smith his behaviour had been immature, aggressive and he had preyed on an older man.

"He was no match for you," Judge Barker said. "This was a gratuitous and wholly unjustified act of violence."

Michael Borelli, QC, defending, said Smith was not homophobic and said the two incidents - the taunting and the later violence - were unconnected.