THE family of a “gentle and peaceful” teenager who was killed by a violent thug with a string of convictions have spoken of their total devastation at his two year prison sentence.

Annie Davidson

THE family of a “gentle and peaceful” teenager who was killed by a violent thug with a string of convictions have spoken of their total devastation at his two year prison sentence.

Mark Brewer admitted killing gentle giant Dominic Barritt in an unprovoked attack after a day drinking heavily in Walton-on-the-Naze.

Yesterday Brewer, 22, was given an indeterminate prison sentence for the protection of the public and must serve a minimum of two years behind bars.

After that he must convince the authorities he is no longer a danger before he can be released.

Christopher Kerr, prosecuting, told Chelmsford Crown Court that Brewer had been leaning out of the window of a flat in High Street when Mr Barritt and his friend walked past at about 1am on August 22 last year.

The friend and Brewer began a verbal altercation during which he said: “I don't care if you are male or female, I will come down and knock you out.”

Friends of Brewer attempted to restrain him but he went down into the street and punched Mr Barritt in the face who had “done nothing throughout the whole incident except trying passively to protect” the girl.

Mr Barritt, 18, of Little Clacton, died in a London hospital two days later of head injuries.

Brewer, 22, of Fairlop Road, Leytonstone, had a string of previous convictions dating back to 2001 including assaulting a police officer, intimidating witnesses, common assault and actual bodily harm by wanton reckless driving.

In March 2005, he was jailed for three-and-a-half years for six robberies with a further 18 offences to be taken into consideration.

He breached an anti-social behaviour order in June 2007 and just months before killing Mr Barritt had also been convicted of breaching bail and burglary.

Brewer admitted manslaughter having denied a charge of murder for which a not guilty verdict was formally recorded.

David Wills, defending, said he had shown remorse for the death of Mr Barritt and was a model prisoner who had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

Judge Christopher Ball, QC, told Brewer: “You have spent most of your young life abusing drink, abusing drugs - it has affected your character. It has made you, I am quite sure, aggressive and has led to the anti social personality disorder with psychopathic traits which experts have identified.”

Mr Barritt's grandparents Carol and Ron, who bought him up, said: “We are absolutely devastated, no sentence would be long enough for our Dom not being with us and whatever sentence he gets won't bring him back but we feel he has been pushed aside.

“It was all about him and nothing about our Dom. Our justice system is disgraceful. He won't change and could be out in 18 months.”

She said a letter from Brewer expressing remorse and saying he did not realise what the consequences to Mr Barritt would be “was disgusting - it has been written down for him and he has copied it out.”