TWO men have been jailed for killing a grandfather in an unprovoked attack on a night out. 

Elliot Bourdon-Pierre, 24, and Matthew Smith, 22, left Brian Hill and his brother Andrew for dead, after attacking the pair at a Hastings taxi rank in February. 

Grandfather-of-four Brian Hill, 60, later died from a bleed on the brain after hitting his head on the kerb after being punched, while Andrew, 53, suffered significant injuries.

Bourdon-Pierre and Smith were both found guilty by a jury of manslaughter and GBH today at Lewes Crown Court. 

Deputy Circuit Judge Alistair McCreath called the attack “wholly unnecessary” leading to the “tragic and needless” of Brian Hill.

The court heard Bourdon-Pierre and Smith were at a taxi rank in Havelock Road, Hastings, after exiting a nightclub before 1am on Friday February 3, when Smith insulted Brian Hill who was walking past with his brother after a night drinking. 

The brothers had walked away, but after a verbal exchange Bourdon-Pierre and Smith set upon the brothers. 

Bourdon-Pierre threw two punches at Andrew Hill which missed, before Smith struck him flooring him.

Brian Hill who was standing with his arms by his side was then punched by Bourdon-Pierre breaking his jaw. He fell to the floor and hit his head on the kerb.

It was then suggested Smith, who was shown breaking step on CCTV, stamped on Andrew Hill. 

The two defendants then got in a taxi in which Smith was seen to have smirked, on the taxi’s CCTV, as they passed the men they left for dead. 

Brian Hill died the following day in hospital.

Bourdon-Pierre, of Udimore Road, Rye, and Smith of Piltdown Close, Hastings, were found guilty unanimously by a jury of manslaughter and GBH. 

Sentencing, Judge McCreath, said: “I accept the defendants are regretful at what they did, but I am unable to accept they are remorseful in the true sense. After they spent the trial trying to persuade the jury they were acting self-defence and the victims were to some extent responsible.”

Smith cried in the dock as the pair’s sentence was read out. Both were given eight years for manslaughter and three years for GBH, to run concurrently.

In a victim impact statement, Andrew Hill who was left with four fractured ribs, lot two teeth and post-traumatic amnesia, said he regularly had nightmares about the attack and lost his “best friend”, as well as his brother. 

Outside of court Brian Hill’s daughter, Victoria Hill, said she was happy with the verdict. She said: “I would like to thank Sussex Police for the result today. Our family would know like privacy so we can grief in peace.”