Sentence was justified

When 20-year-old Sam Brown was found guilty of murder by a jury, he cried out: "What have they done that for?"

The answer should be clear to Brown and members of his family. Brown is a vicious brute whose savage and unprovoked attack on an innocent man killed him.

Brown had already been sentenced to ten years inside for grievous bodily harm for the attack in a Shoreham pub on Richard Lewis, a Brighton teacher.

But when Mr Lewis died months after the attack, a successful application was made to bring a murder charge against Brown.

During the two-week trial, defence lawyers tried to prove it was medical negligence at Worthing Hospital that caused the death of Mr Lewis.

But the jury was not fooled and realised it was caused by this senseless and appalling attack.

Was it worth bringing the murder charge? Undoubtedly the answer is "yes" for it means Brown has been given life imprisonment for his terrible crime.

He will now have plenty of time to reflect on the answer to his cry

during his long and totally justified life sentence.

Love potion

Love can be the best medicine as the heart-warming story of Philip Liddiard and Susan Hancock shows.

The couple, who met through a personal column, had become inseparable when Philip suddenly fell into a coma caused by meningitis.

Susan kept up a vigil by his hospital bedside and proposed to him in a coma, adding the wedding would be on Valentine's Day.

He recovered and on Monday, as promised, they're to be married at Haywards Heath. Philip feels she brought him back from the brink of death and he may well be right.

That's magic

Lessons go like magic for pupils at St Aubyn's School in Rottingdean when teacher Andrew Jeffrey is around.

For as well as being head of maths, he's also a member of the Sussex Magic Circle.

His after-school magic club is one of the most popular at the school.

It means that as well as being able to read and write, the kids are good at spells.

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