Man jailed for kicking cancer sufferer to death

Two men who kicked a terminally ill cancer sufferer to death have been jailed for life, a court spokesman said today.

James Killingback, 23, and Aaron Breffitt, 17, carried out the "horrific and sustained" attack on father-of-three John Vry in Lowestoft, Suffolk, on December 3 2008, Ipswich Crown Court heard.

Mr Vry, a bowel cancer sufferer, was confronted by Killingback and Breffitt after leaving his family home to buy chips, the court heard.

Killingback, of Denmark Road, Lowestoft, was sentenced to life imprisonment at Ipswich Crown Court yesterday and told he would serve a minimum of 19 years behind the bars.

Breffitt, of no fixed address, was also sentenced to life and will serve a minimum of 12 years.

Mr Vry died in hospital with serious head injuries following the vicious attack, prosecutor Karim Khalil said.

He had been given a life expectancy of between three and six months by doctors last summer.

Mr Khalil said Mr Vry, who had undergone surgery and chemotherapy for his cancer, was in no condition to defend himself.

Killingback and Breffitt both denied murdering Mr Vry but were found guilty after a trial.

Reviewing lawyer David Hutson, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: "These men attacked a defenceless and vulnerable victim who was subjected to a horrific and sustained attack which caused him severe head injuries which ultimately led to his untimely death.

"We may never know the reasons for this brutal assault, but we are pleased these men, who will be in prison for a long period of time, can no longer pose a danger to society."