Youth who hid evidence sentenced

Robert Gill's body was discovered by police divers

A teenager who disposed of a mobile phone which had been stolen from a murder victim has been ordered to carry out unpaid work in the community.

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

Thomas Allen gave evidence against the pair who were jailed for life after a trial at Luton Crown Court.

Allen, 18, of Clapham, London, admitted perverting the course of justice.

Robert was beaten by Downes, 19, and Luddington, 18, who then threw him in the Great River Ouse - where his body was later found.

A 16-year-old youth also involved in the attack, which took place two days before Christmas 2007, was given four-and-a-half years for manslaughter.

Sending you into custody now may well be unhelpful, but you do need to be punished Judge John Bevan, QC,

It was the youth who gave Allen Robert's Samsung mobile phone, the court heard.

Allen threw the phone in the river at Kempston after being told it had been stolen from the victim.

When interviewed by police he gave an account of what the youth had told him about the events of that night, but failed to mention the phone, prosecutor Kate Lumbers said.

Kevin Molloy, mitigating, said: "He acted very immaturely before, but he embraced the responsibility of giving evidence as difficult as that experience may have been.

"It is wrong to assume that he goes out getting drunk regularly. He cannot afford it having been laid off from his job in the construction industry due to the credit crunch."

Sean Downes and Thomas Luddington were found guilty of murder

Passing sentence Judge John Bevan, QC, told Allen: "It is my opinion that you were thoroughly uncomfortable giving evidence but you told the truth.

"Sending you into custody now may well be unhelpful, but you do need to be punished.

"The course I am taking will stop you drinking in the middle of Bedford which was the cause of all this trouble, until after the first anniversary of these terrible events."

He passed a community order which involves 100 hours unpaid work and a curfew every Friday, Saturday and Sunday night for four months. Allen was also ordered to pay £210 costs.