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.

Yesterday both men were found guilty by a jury of manslaughter and GBH.

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

The court heard Bourdon-Pierre and Smith were at a taxi rank after leaving a nightclub before 1am on February 3. Smith insulted Brian Hill who was walking past with his brother after a night drinking.

The brothers 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 knocked him to the floor.

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 stamped on Andrew Hill.

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

Brian Hill died the following day.

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

Sentencing them, 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 all they spent the trial trying to persuade the jury they were acting in 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.

Andrew Hill was left with four fractured ribs, lost two teeth and post-traumatic amnesia. He 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, said she was happy with the verdict. I would like to thank Sussex Police for the result today. Our family would like privacy.”