Three boys guilty of homeless man's murder

Three teenagers who beat a homeless man to death following a dare have been convicted of murder.

The boys who cannot be named because of their ages – two are 14 years old and one is 17 – had denied attacking Kevin Bennett, 53, right, as he slept rough outside a supermarket in Liverpool.

During their trial at Liverpool Crown Court, the jury was told the 17-year-old had goaded one of the 14-year-olds into carrying out the attack by saying: “I bet you haven’t got it in you to do him in.” The court heard that the younger boy later told his friend: “I started kicking him, I booted him and now he’s dead.” The second 14-year-old acted as a look-out.

Mr Bennett died in hospital six days after the beating in the early hours of 17 August last year. Linda Doran, 42, was convicted of perverting the course of justice by providing false alibis for two of the three boys.

All four were remanded in custody for sentencing in April.