Two men have been jailed for life for stamping and kicking a homeless alcoholic to death.

Terry Hannaby died after he was attacked outside Brighton Town Hall last year.

His body was found under a bloodsoaked duvet in Bartholomew Square by security staff early on September 4.

Street drinkers Anthony Griffiths, 33, and Andrew Stanley, 40, must serve at least 12 years before they are considered for release.

They were found guilty after a six-week trial at Hove Crown Court of murdering Mr Hannaby, 34.

Gareth Russell, 25, was cleared of murder but convicted of manslaughter for his part in the attack.

The jury was told he has brain damage from both trauma and alcohol abuse, which could have affected his control over his actions.

Russell was yesterday jailed for six years but the trial judge said he had stood "shoulder to shoulder" with the others during the attack.

All three rough sleepers had tried to shift the blame for the attack on to the others during the trial.

A fourth man, Declan Mallon, 38, was cleared of murder on Wednesday after the jury had spent three days considering its verdicts. He told police he had spent the night asleep in Old Steine Gardens and was not in Bartholomew Square when the attack took place.

The sentences were welcomed by Mr Hannaby's mother who thanked Brighton's street drinkers for helping to bring her son's killers to justice.

Rose Hannaby, 74, who lives in Hampshire, said she had heard from Mr Hannaby just two days before he died.

She said: "I am really pleased with the verdicts and hopefully I can start to put this behind me now. I would like to thank every one of the street drinkers who helped the police and gave evidence that helped catch my son's murderers.

"Terry was a very happy-go-lucky person who would try to help anyone who was in trouble.

"He went on the streets after the death of his father 14 years ago. He just could not settle after that.

"When his father died he went on the road but he still came home every Sunday during the winter for his dinner.

"The last words he spoke to me was in the hospital two days before he died.

"He told me Mum, you do know I love you'.

"Those were the last words he said to me."

Judge Anthony Scott-Gall said the fatal attack happened after a squabble over money to buy drink got out of hand.

He added: "It was a vicious, prolonged assault on a weak and vulnerable alcoholic.

"It is said that Mr Hannaby was a sick man who had not made much of his life.

"That makes no difference to the gravity of this case, in that his life was taken brutally by your collective acts."