Pair guilty in river murder case

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Robert Gill was beaten before being thrown into the River Great Ouse

Two men have been convicted of the murder of a teenager who was beaten and thrown into a Bedfordshire river.

Sean Downes and Thomas Luddington were convicted of the murder of 17-year-old Robert Gill who was found in the River Great Ouse near Bedford.

At Luton Crown Court, Downes, 18, of Acacia Road and Luddington, 18, of Dunham Close, both Bedford, had denied a charge of murder.

Attackers led him to the river and used him "as a punch bag", the jury heard.

A youth of 16, who cannot be named, was convicted of manslaughter, robbery and false imprisonment.

Sean Downes and Thomas Luddington were found guilty of murder

Downes and Luddington were also convicted of charges of robbery and false imprisonment.

Robert Gill was an engineering student who was on a night out with his brother when he was attacked in Bedford two days after Christmas.

Police divers recovered his body eight days later.

Timothy Spencer QC, for the prosecution, said the three had behaved like "predators, picking on their prey".

Robert had been drinking in a nightclub with his brother, but was attacked shortly after leaving the club.

They had demanded the pin number to his debit card but became angry when it would not allow them to take out any money.

He was then subjected to a savage attack, punched and kicked to the body before going into the water.

Judge John Bevan QC adjourned sentence until September for reports to be completed on the three accused.

After the trial the parents of Robert Gill said the decisions made by the court and the penalties were just.

Robert Gill's body was discovered by a team of police divers

Fred and Fran Gill, of Wilstead in Bedfordshire, said: "We accept their verdicts as being carefully formed.

"We also want to thank all who have supported us around the world by praying for us.

"Those prayers have made all the difference to the way we have been enabled to keep strong.

"We have been upheld even through hearing the evidence of what was done to Robert on the night he was killed.

"The things we have learned about that night have made us angry but we have felt that anger subside each day and we have been kept in peace.

"Robert was a wonderful lad and he is missed by all his family and friends, particularly by his brother Duncan."