UK teen beat homeless man to death 'cos I thought it was funny'
A teenager has been convicted with a friend of beating a homeless man to death because he thought it was "funny".
Alex Macdonald and Charlie White, both 19, were found guilty at Maidstone Crown Court of the murder of Razvan Sirbu, 21, who they attacked with a machete and other weapons.
His body was found next to the tent he was living in amid woodland off Cave Hill in Tovil, Maidstone, Kent, on May 7 2017.
A post-mortem examination showed he died of multiple skull fractures, facial bone fractures and significant injuries to his body including several fractured ribs.
Kent Police said Macdonald, of Regency Place, Maidstone, and White, of Quarry Road, Maidstone, with accomplice James Buckley were caught on CCTV burning their clothing used during the murder with images also showing them re-enacting some of the attack.
A force spokesman said: "Detectives also uncovered details of a conversation between White and Macdonald whereby White had asked him why he kept beating Mr Sirbu in the face.
Macdonald was said to have replied "cos I thought it was funny".
"During police interview White issued a prepared statement. He claimed on the day of the murder he planned stealing a lawnmower from a garden in Bockingford Road.
"He said he was carrying a meat cleaver for protection against the person he was hoping to sell it to. White claimed as he was making his way to the property he heard shouting and that a man speaking a foreign language then tried to attack him.
"He admitted repeatedly striking Mr Sirbu with his machete, but denied aiming any blows to his head. White said he acted in self-defence and had played no part in encouraging others to also attack Mr Sirbu."
He added that Buckley (aged 20) of Capell Close, Coxheath, was found unfit to plead but was found by the jury to be involved in the act of killing Mr Sirbu.
Sentencing will take place on January 16.
Detective Chief Inspector Tony Pledger said: "This was an utterly senseless attack on a young man who stood little chance of protecting himself. Razvan Sirbu was subjected to a horrific ordeal which appears to have been entirely unprovoked.
"He was beaten repeatedly, suffering a catalogue of appalling injuries as a result of a sustained and savage assault.
"Our investigation has uncovered compelling and overwhelming evidence linking the offenders to this murder, but their refusal to tell the truth may mean we never know precisely why they carried out this attack."
