Two Luton men who savagely beat a Polish man, who later died, have been jailed for a total of 17 years.
Carl Stockwell, 26, and Daniel McRedmond, 19, attacked 50-year-old Zbignew Pawalec after breaking into a derelict cinema in Luton Town Centre in the early hours of Saturday, 14 June.
They accused him of stealing a bottle of alcohol they had left in the area earlier before punching and kicking him.
The assault was filmed on a mobile phone and both men were seen to stamp on the victim’s head.
Mr Pawalec was seen stumbling out of the cinema the following afternoon and was later found unconscious in a car park off George Street West at around 4pm.
He was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital but died on June 17.
Stockwell, of Dallow Road, Luton, and Redmond, of Shirley Road, Luton, were initially arrested and charged with murder.
However a pathologist report was unable to establish a link between the assault and the injuries which led to Mr Pawalec’s death.
Both pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent.
McRedmond was jailed for nine years at Luton Crown Court today, while Stockwell was sentenced to eight years.
Detective Inspector Jon McAdam, of the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “This was a sickening, unprovoked attack on a vulnerable, defenceless man who was sleeping rough.
“While we cannot be certain how Mr Pawalec received the injuries which caused his death, the footage of the assaults by Stockwell and McRedmond clearly show the intent to cause him serious harm.
“There can be no justification for such a cowardly attack and we are pleased they have now been brought to justice.”