Three men have been convicted of beating a 39-year-old father to death.

John Battams, 40, Mike Zur, 28, and Ireneusz Malesza, 28, were yesterday found guilty of murdering Craig Palmer in an alcohol-fuelled row.

They were jailed for a joint minimum of 45 years – 15 years each.

The trio, all of no fixed address, were found guilty following a six-week trial at Hove Crown Court.

Mr Palmer, who would have become a grandfather for the first time in January 2012, was killed in January this year.

His body was found in a squat in Russell Square, Brighton.

He had suffered massive head injuries.

Yesterday Mr Palmer’s wife Deborah Lawrence – who attended the entire trial – said: “Our only comment about the verdict is that we are satisfied that justice has been done.

“Craig is missed so much. We have good memories of him and have photographs and videos of him to which we often refer and this helps to keep his memory alive."

Detective Chief Inspector Jeff Riley, of the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, added: “This was a mindless and unprovoked attack on a vulnerable man.

“He and his attackers were part of the Brighton and Hove street community and this murder seems to have resulted from an alcohol-fuelled argument over a perceived slight by one or more of the group.

“It is a terrible and sad waste of a human life and our thoughts are with Craig’s family at this time.”

During the trial the court was told that the property Mr Palmer was found dead in had been empty since September 2010 when the owner died.

A fourth man, Bartlomiej Szostek, 27, was found not guilty of murder.

For more on this story see today's Argus.