THREE teenagers were jailed for life today for the murder of father-of-three Garry Newlove.
Mr Newlove was kicked "like a football" by the youths after he confronted them about vandalism outside his home in Warrington, Cheshire, in August.
Adam Swellings, 19, received a minimum 17-year term; Stephen Sorton, 17, received a minimum 15 year
s; and Jordan Cunliffe, 16, was locked up for a minimum of 12 years.
They were convicted of murder at Chester Crown Court last month.
Jailing the teenagers, Judge Andrew Smith said: "You were three of a gang who attacked Garry Newlove only because he had the courage to remonstrate with you.
"For you all drunken aggression was part of the night's entertainment.
"It was a gang attack, each of you continued to behave aggressively after you had finished with Garry Newlove."
Mr Newlove, the father of Zoe, 18, Danielle, 16, and 13-year-old Amy, suffered massive head injuries in the attack which took place shortly after the gang had kicked the door of his wife's car, parked outside their home.
His widow, Helen, 44, spoke out after the guilty verdict and pledged to campaign to make Britain safer.
She said: "I am determined to carry on for the sake of my wonderful husband Garry. He will not have died in vain.
"The light has gone out of our lives. It's like a piece of our jigsaw has been lost for ever.
"Garry and myself have brought up three girls together to respect other people and to be home, not walking the streets causing damage and intimidating other people."
It emerged, after the trio were found guilty on January 16 of Mr Newlove's murder, that Swellings had been released from custody for an assault just hours before the August 10 attack.
He was freed on bail on condition he stayed away from Warrington but he never left the town. Instead he met up with Sorton and Cunliffe and began a drink and drugs binge.
The teenager had consumed four litres of cider and smoked five cannabis cigarettes that night, paid for with his dole money.
As the oldest in the group, he took it upon himself to lead the confrontation with sales manager Mr Newlove, arrogantly telling him to "get back inside".
He threw the first punch, having approached the defenceless and barefoot victim from behind.
Egged on by the other gang members shouting "Get him" and "Do him, Swellhead", the youth knocked Mr Newlove to the ground.
Sorton, who had consumed nine or ten bottles of Stella Artois and one three-litre bottle of Frosty Jacks cider in the hours before the attack, then kicked Mr Newlove with a force so ferocious that he left his training shoe under the victim's body.
Cunliffe, who was aged 15 on the night of the attack, also joined in, bragging to other gang members afterwards: "We've just banged a man and he's not moving."
