TWO teenagers have been found guilty of bursting into a man's home while he slept and beating him to death with bricks and concrete.

Andrew Mann, 18, was convicted of murdering Simon Goddard in Pitsea. His friend Liam Smith, 18, was found guilty of the lesser charge of manslaughter.

Two other men, Justin Baker-Brown and Brett Adams, also both 18, were cleared of all charges.

The verdicts were the culmination of a ten-week trial at Chelmsford Crown Court which had seen all four youngsters on trial for murder. Mann was the ringleader in the vicious assault on Mr Goddard in August last year, while Smith took a lesser part in the attack.

The 32-year-old father-of-two was punched, kicked, stamped on and beaten with bricks and concrete slabs inside his flat in Travers Way.

Mann had a grudge against loner Mr Goddard, who had allegedly indecently exposed himself to his friend's young sister.

Mr Goddard had been on police bail over the incident when he was murdered.

Apprentice landscape gardener Mann, of Chalvedon Avenue, Pitsea, who has a series of previous offences, appeared to laugh as the unanimous guilty verdict was read out in court.

Mr Justice Teare told him he must serve 14 years in prison before he can be eligible for parole.

Sentencing for Liam Smith, of Walthams Place, Pitsea, has been adjourned until next month.

Dressed in suits, Mann and Smith remained silent as they were led away from the dock by security officers.

Following the verdicts, senior investigating officer, Det Supt Keith Garnish, said: "No matter what the circumstances, murder is an unnecessary loss of life.

"It leaves great hurt in its wake with family and friends having to come to terms with the loss of someone they cared about.

"It is those people who our thoughts should be with, and I only hope that the court's verdict helps them to move on with their lives."