Dartford: Teenagers set homeless man alight with firelighters as he slept on bench.

Two schoolboys who set a homeless alcoholic on fire "for fun" as he slept on a park bench have been convicted of murder.

Stephen Brookes, aged 16, of Rayens Court, High Street, Northfleet, and John Iveson, aged 13, of Cornwall Road, Dartford, had pleaded not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court.

The teenagers set light to George Johnstone's beard and clothing using firelighters in Dartford's Central Park in June this year.

The 41-year-old victim suffered 40 per cent burns to his body and died in hospital from a heart attack and the effects of smoke inhalation.

The boys blamed each other for what happened. Brookes claimed a firelighter he put in the victim's hair went out while Iveson denied putting firelighters on Mr Johnstone.

They were ordered by Mr Justice Bell to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure serving at least six and a half years before being considered for release.

The judge, who lifted reporting restrictions on the duo following an application from the media, told them: "It was a mean and nasty offence against a vulnerable victim, setting fire to him when you must have appreciated that he was unable to protect himself because of the stupor he had drunk himself into."

Iveson wept when the jury announced its unanimous verdict after deliberating for four-and-a-half hours. Brookes stared straight ahead.

Mr Johnstone's brother, John, 37, speaking about the sentence, said: "I think it is fair and just. Considering their age, I feel they need a sentence that is going to wake them up before they come back out. We can't have children like that around."

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Tim Lewis said: "I am not sure we will ever understand what motivated these boys to act in such a cruel and savage way."

Richard Travers, counsel for Iveson, said the boy's behaviour changed dramatically when he was excluded from school at the age of 10 for six months.

He said: "He was a young boy who was simply drifting. There was no great adult guidance. Perhaps it was that way of life that played a significant part in this offence."

John Coffey, QC for Brookes, who has mental age as 11, despite being 16-years-old, said: "That really reflects perhaps the degree of culpability as far as he is personally concerned in this matter."

November 13, 2001 16:00