Posted on 07/31/2007 5:36:50 PM PDT by fanfan
A gang of children killed a father-of-two by stoning him as he played a makeshift game of cricket with his son, a court has heard.
They surrounded a tennis court where Ernest Norton and his teenage son had set up a wicket and hurled bricks and debris in a "completely unprovoked attack".
Mr Norton, 67, collapsed in a pool of blood after being hit by a piece of rock and died from heart failure, the Old Bailey was told.
The gang, some as young as ten, then ran away and allegedly a witness heard one say, "Did you get him?" and others replying: "Yeah I think so."
Five boys, all aged 13 or under at the time of the onslaught last year, are accused of unlawfully killing Mr Norton, a retired engineering draughtsman. None can be named for legal reasons.
The court heard that the boys, all from Kent, were members of a gang called TNE - The New Estate - who had planned to take part in a "gang fight" earlier the same day.
Instead they went to the leisure centre in Erith, Kent, where Mr Norton and his 17-year-old son James were spending their Sunday afternoon playing cricket on the centre's tennis courts.
David Fisher QC, prosecuting, said the boys carried out a "completely unnecessary, pointless and random attack."
He added: "A group of about ten to 15 youths gathered by the fencing surrounding the courts and began shouting abuse at Ernest Norton and his son. These five defendants were part of that group.
"As the abuse worsened, they began throwing stones and pieces of wood.
"Ernest Norton was struck at least twice on the head by these missiles and one of the stones hit him on his left side of his face, causing a fracture to his cheekbone.
"He collapsed and suffered a heart attack. Nobody relishes the fact that these five boys are on trial at the Central Criminal Court for the serious crime of manslaughter. But their youth is no defence.
"I expect they deeply regret the death of Ernest Norton and there is no doubt they did not intend that he should die. But it was their course of conduct, quite probably with others, that caused his death."
The attack happened on February 26 last year while Mr Norton's wife Linda was in the leisure centre using the gym.
He and his son went off to play cricket, entering the tennis courts through a gate and locking it behind them.
They set up the game and James started bowling while his father stood behind the stumps. Then James saw a group of up to 20 youths approaching.
"They started shouting insults, mostly saying James was a rubbish bowler", said Mr Fisher.
"To his father they were saying 'Go back to your old people's home'."
"While some of the boys left, five to seven began throwing stones, rocks and pieces of wood at the pair, with two attempting to climb the 9ft-high wire fence surrounding the courts."
When Mr Norton collapsed, his son ran to the leisure centre for help. A policeman and ambulance crews tried to revive Mr Norton, but he died at the scene.
One local woman saw a group of boys running away from the scene and heard one shout, "Oh no" and another exclaim, "He's dead."
Another witness heard one say "Did you get him?" and others replying '"Yeah, I think so."
A post-mortem found Mr Norton, who had a triple bypass operation in 1977 but was in good health, died as a result of heart disease alleged to have been brought on by the stress of the attack. He also left a 25-year-old daughter.
All the boys, who were each accompanied by a parent in the dock, are on bail. They deny manslaughter and violent disorder.
The trial continues.
Mr. Norton should have applied his cricket bat to a few of their skulls. He would probably been charged with assault by the authorities, but at least he might have survived. Better to be judged by twelve than carried out by six.
Condolences to Linda, James and the remainder of Ernest Norton’s family and friends.
life
Unfortunately, the UK does seem to have imported a US-style gang culture in some Urban areas.
You can’t blame us! I’ve seen your football fans!
;-)
One can give the appearance of being "fit and active"..and yet have coronary heart disease.
And plain old stress..can cause an MI.
FWIW-
The Wolf Of Kabul!
I wonder if any of the youths were singing "Singin' In the Rain?"
Almost certainly not.
If you've spent much time in "Blighty" recently you'd know that motiveless abuse and vandalism are now rites of passage for a good percentage of British youth. It's a true sickness.
It's not uncommon for firefighters responding to calls, for instance, to come under attack by gangs of rock throwing youths who verbally and physically abuse them. That's right, firefighters. Throwing rocks at buses, trains and cars on freeways are everyday occurrences. Basically, anyone peaceably going about their business and who appears as an easy target can become a victim of the youthful lust for mayhem and "bovver". The same mentality fuels the British soccer hooligan.
An elderly man and his son having fun would irritate the hell out of these barbarians. Firstly, they'd appear to be "soft"; a true crime in the eyes of these thugs. Secondly as a family unit, they would embody wholesomeness, another crime.
This was done by young Caucasian males, almost certainly.
“‘Disadvantaged Pedestrian Groups’.
Staff working for the GLA (Greater London Authority) who say something inappropriate are ‘requested’ to attend something called a ‘Social Induction Class’.”
Straight out of Monty Python.
The Daily Mail is hated with a passion by lefties, because it is regarded as being the voice of the home owner, tax payer, serviceman, small businessman etc.
It does not hold much brief for the minority groups; however it does stop short of slagging off Islam, though it sometimes does it in a coded way.
Oh and you are not allowed to call gangs ‘gangs’ anymore. London Mayor Livingstone has decreed that from now on they must be referred to as ‘Disadvantaged Pedestrian Groups’.
YMBSM???!!!
That there is one frightening story!
Did you forget your sarcasm tag?
Man. That’s scary. How Britain has fallen. Thanks for the info.
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