A MOTHER whose son was beaten to death by a failed asylum seeker says the government should track immigrants when they come into the country.

Margaret Cooper was speaking for the first time since her son David was killed in November 2008.

The mother-of-three has attempted suicide twice since the death of her only son.

Mossab Belhocine was given a life sentence for murdering 28-year-old David.

Belhocine, aged 19, was told he must serve 24 years in jail for murder and 10 years for robbery, to run concurrently.

Ms Cooper said: “Life should mean life. He will come out when he is 40 years old and he can carry on.”

The 51-year-old said: “It has broken my heart and shattered it into pieces. David was my soul mate. We saw each other every day.”

She added: “If someone comes to this country they should be logged and followed really closely. The government should know exactly where they are.

“If they are illegal they should be sent back to their country.”

Belhocine met Mr Cooper in Soho before the pair travelled to his victim's flat in Calderwood Street, Woolwich.

During a trial at the Old Bailey, the court heard how the Algerian national kicked and beat his victim so hard an imprint of his trainer was left on Mr Cooper’s face.

The 19-year-old from Walthamstow said he had punched and kicked Mr Cooper to stop the sales assistant from raping him, but the court was told Belhocine had been planning a robbery.

He took a silver bracelet, a DVD player, a computer console, a television, a laptop and an Oyster card.

Ms Cooper, of Gilbourne Road, Plumstead, said: “I hate him for what he has done. I would like to go and visit him in prison and ask why he did this. He could have just robbed David and left.”

Mr Cooper would have been 30 last month. The family decorated his grave with banners and balloons to mark the occasion.