Teenagers jailed for life for Shane Watson Sedgley murder

Shylon Wishart must serve a minimum of 16 years and James Cartwright at least 13 for the sickening and "ferocious" fatal attack on the 23-year-old.

The pair showed no emotion as they were sentenced by Judge John Warner at Wolverhampton Crown Court for punching, kicking and stamping on the Wolves fan in the shocking killing.

Family members and friends of Mr Watson sat silent in court as the sentences were passed down. His parents, Jane and Steven, were among those in court for the hearing today.

Flanked by three security officers, the defendants fixed their eyes on the judge as he delivered his verdicts.

Judge Warner said the attack on Mr Watson was 'ferocious and he suffered 'gratuitous humiliation and considerable suffering' during the violence on July 28 last year.

A seven-day trial heard that Wishart, 19, and 18-year-old Cartwright, targeted Mr Watson in the alleyway off Springfield Grove in Sedgley.

The two attackers stripped Mr Watson and took pictures of themselves urinating on him after they had beaten him.

The victim had become separated from his girlfriend Kelly Handley after the pair had left Monty's Bar in the High Street.

And when a concerned Miss Handley and his mother tried to contact their loved one, they were callously told that he was "dead at the bottom of the alley".

Wishart and Cartwright attended a house party in a 'hyper' mood after the killing.

Revellers told jurors how they were shown photos of the victim by the pair, who boasted about "just knocking out Shane".

But the killers were snared by police and arrested within 10 hours of the attack after witnesses went to the police and told them about what they had seen at the party.

Officers arrested the teenagers at their Sedgley homes. Wishart's trainers and jeans, as well as a pair of Cartwright's trainers, were discovered the rear garden of Wishart's property. Each of the items contained Mr Watson's blood, while his mobile phone cover was also found.

Mr Watson's mother said she and her family had been 'devastated' by the loss.

Cartwright, of Sandyfields Road, had earlier admitted murder while Wishart, of North Springfield, Sedgley, was found guilty of the charge after trial.

Judge Warner said today: "Mr Watson suffered considerably before he died. His partner was taunted in the most cruel way and humiliating and degrading photographs of him were taken and shown to others."

Mr Christopher Hotten QC, for Cartwright, said his client's father had been 'absolutely appalled' by what his son had done.

He said: "Robert Cartwright and the wider family are well known in Sedgley, and are all appalled by what has happened."

Mr Hotten explained that the night of the attack was Cartwright's first night out drinking and visiting a nightclub.

Mr Michael Duck QC, for Wishart, said: "It was a spontaneous attack, with intent to cause really serious harm rather than to kill."

Express & Star Crime Correspondent Shaun Jepson tweeted live from the hearing, following the killing of 23-year-Shane Watson, who was punched and kicked to death in Sedgley last year: