Thugs who beat a man to death in a vicious assault at a community centre have been sentenced for their part in the attack.

Donald McNicol was punched, kicked and hit over the head with a chair in the attack by four young men at a community centre where he had been sitting using a computer.

The 54-year-old underwent neurosurgery at Kings College Hospital for a serious head injury from the attack on December 2 last year but he never recovered.

His life support was turned off on December 15.

Monsur Rahman, of Beadle Court, Church Road, Mitcham, started the attack at the Stockwell Park community centre in Stockwell on December 2 last year.

He has been jailed for life, with a minimum term of 11 years, at the Old Bailey today after being found guilty of murder on October 1.

His brother 18-year-old Manunoor Rahman, of High Street, Croydon, has also been jailed for a minimum term of 11 years for murder.

Daniel Okello, 20, of Ambleside Avenue, near Tooting Common in Streatham, has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 10 and a half years for murder.

Ibrahim Ford, 17, from Brixton, was found not guilty of murder but convicted of manslaughter.

He will be detained for five and a half years at a young offender institution.

Dalton Williams, 19, of Norwich Road, Thornton Heath, and Gino Sawyers, 20, from Bournemouth, were both acquitted.

Crown Prosecution Service London chief crown prosecutor Baljit Ubhey said: "Donald McNicol was sitting quietly on his own at the local community centre when he was viciously attacked by the four young men.

"Mr McNicol was completely outnumbered and utterly defenceless during the attack by the defendants.

"The group closed in on him as he tried to shield his head and body from their punches.

"It was then that Mamunoor Rahman picked up a chair and brought it down with force striking Mr McNicol on his head.

"Community centres are a valuable asset to local communities and act as a safe haven for everyone. This sense of safety was completely violated by the violent actions of these defendants.

"CPS London is committed to tackling violent crime to make the capital a safer place."