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16 December 2010
Last updated at 08:29 ET
Two people who subjected a man to homophobic taunts before attacking him in London's Trafalgar Square have been convicted of his manslaughter.
Ian Baynham, 62, of Beckenham, south-east London, was assaulted outside South Africa House in September 2009. He died 18 days later.
He was punched by Joel Alexander, 20, and then repeatedly stamped on by Ruby Thomas, 18, as he lay unconscious.
The Old Bailey heard shocked onlookers had seen his head being kicked.
Alexander, of Thornton Heath, south-east London, was 19 at the time of the attack while Thomas, of Anerley, also south-east London, was 17.
Another teenager, 18-year-old Rachael Burke, of Upper Norwood, south-east London, was found guilty of affray at an earlier trial but cleared of manslaughter.
'Clockwork Orange attack' In a victim impact statement Jenny Baynham, 59, said her brother's death had "devastated" their 90-year-old mother.
"I was horrified at what had happened and found it difficult to understand why anyone could have assaulted him in that way.
"It seems so ironic that his life ended so horrifically and senselessly on the streets of London which he loved so much."
She added that her brother, who was openly gay, had had "deep-rooted traditional values and would always stand up for his beliefs".
"He was very aware some people were prejudiced against him."
Mr Baynham had just started a new job as a team leader in border control at the Home Office when he was killed during a night out.
Thomas, an ex-public schoolgirl, smiled as she and Burke "put the boot into" the gay civil servant after he was knocked to the ground by Alexander.
Brian Altman QC, prosecuting, told the court the girls had been "fuelled by copious amounts of alcohol".
He said: "There is evidence that the female defendants then began putting the boot into Mr Baynham, who was still prone on his back, clearly unconscious and in distress.
"Shocked onlookers saw repeated stamping to his chest and forceful kicks to his head."
Blood on handbag A witness described the attack as like a scene from the film A Clockwork Orange.
Police later found Mr Baynham's blood on Thomas's handbag and shoes.
Mr Baynham was on a night out with his friend Philip Brown when Thomas shouted homophobic abuse at him.
He confronted her and the row escalated, with the victim grabbing her handbag when she hit him with it.
Alexander intervened and punched Mr Baynham, knocking him to the ground. The victim hit his head on the pavement and passed out. He suffered a severe brain injury.
All three attackers will be sentenced in 2011.
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Ian Baynham, 62, of Beckenham, south-east London, was assaulted outside South Africa House in September 2009. He died 18 days later.
He was punched by Joel Alexander, 20, and then repeatedly stamped on by Ruby Thomas, 18, as he lay unconscious.
The Old Bailey heard shocked onlookers had seen his head being kicked.
Alexander, of Thornton Heath, south-east London, was 19 at the time of the attack while Thomas, of Anerley, also south-east London, was 17.
Another teenager, 18-year-old Rachael Burke, of Upper Norwood, south-east London, was found guilty of affray at an earlier trial but cleared of manslaughter.
'Clockwork Orange attack' In a victim impact statement Jenny Baynham, 59, said her brother's death had "devastated" their 90-year-old mother.
"I was horrified at what had happened and found it difficult to understand why anyone could have assaulted him in that way.
"It seems so ironic that his life ended so horrifically and senselessly on the streets of London which he loved so much."
She added that her brother, who was openly gay, had had "deep-rooted traditional values and would always stand up for his beliefs".
"He was very aware some people were prejudiced against him."
Mr Baynham had just started a new job as a team leader in border control at the Home Office when he was killed during a night out.
Thomas, an ex-public schoolgirl, smiled as she and Burke "put the boot into" the gay civil servant after he was knocked to the ground by Alexander.
Brian Altman QC, prosecuting, told the court the girls had been "fuelled by copious amounts of alcohol".
He said: "There is evidence that the female defendants then began putting the boot into Mr Baynham, who was still prone on his back, clearly unconscious and in distress.
"Shocked onlookers saw repeated stamping to his chest and forceful kicks to his head."
Blood on handbag A witness described the attack as like a scene from the film A Clockwork Orange.
Police later found Mr Baynham's blood on Thomas's handbag and shoes.
Mr Baynham was on a night out with his friend Philip Brown when Thomas shouted homophobic abuse at him.
He confronted her and the row escalated, with the victim grabbing her handbag when she hit him with it.
Alexander intervened and punched Mr Baynham, knocking him to the ground. The victim hit his head on the pavement and passed out. He suffered a severe brain injury.
All three attackers will be sentenced in 2011.
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