Three gang members who beat a 16-year-old boy to death in the street have been found guilty of murder.
Stefan Persaud belonged to a group which had clashed with the rival Till Death gang when he was attacked in April 2005, the Old Bailey heard.
He was beaten with hammers, punched, kicked and hit with bricks and a paving slab in South Norwood, south London.
David Ramsey, 18, of Maidstone, Sean Ramsey, 18, of South Norwood, and a 17-year-old were convicted of murder.
A 16-year-old was found guilty of manslaughter, and another 16-year-old was cleared of all charges.
'Effectively stoned'
Stefan was attacked on 23 April, but died 17 days later in hospital when his life support machine was switched off.
He had been due to sit his GCSEs weeks later.
The trial heard he had 30 "significant" injuries, including blows to the head which left him with irrevocable brain damage.
Stefan, known as Poetz, was a member of a gang called Take Them Out which was involved in a minor row with the Till Death gang.
"He was beaten to death as he lay on the ground defenceless"
Jurors were told there was talk that Stefan had deserved it, because he had to learn not to be "disrespectful".
He was near his home when he was kicked, punched, hit with a paving slab and bricks - "effectively stoned by a large group of young men".
James Curtis QC, prosecuting, said: "He was beaten to death as he lay on the ground defenceless. It was a prolonged and sustained attack."
One defendant claimed Stefan died after trying to convert others to Islam - but police dismissed the claim saying he was not a Muslim.
The jury is considering manslaughter and affray charges against two others.
^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©