FOUR teenagers convicted of unlawfully killing a 28-year-old man have each been sentenced to more than four years in detention, while the victim's mother has urged them to make a better future.
Tauri Litchfield was killed in Mandurah, south of Perth, in March last year after four boys, aged 15 and 16, assaulted and chased him until he tripped over a wall and hit his head.
In sentencing on Thursday, Children's Court president Denis Reynolds said the boy who punched Mr Litchfield - after he slapped the youth on the back of the head for trying to pickpocket him - wanted to show the older man that he was the boss.
"You likely felt demeaned (by the slap) in the presence of the group," Judge Reynolds said.
He said if the boy had not started and continued to pursue the confrontation, Mr Litchfield would still be alive.
Despite suggestions Mr Litchfield had been agitated after celebrating St Patrick's Day, Judge Reynolds found he did not engage in any unprovoked violence and was extremely fearful for his safety from the "pack" of youths when he tried to escape further assault.
People should be able to walk in public alone, and deterrence was important to prevent similar violence in the community, Judge Reynolds said.
Mr Litchfield's mother, Kerry Biggs, told the court she was broken by the loss of her son and would take the pain to her grave.
"I will carry his heart in my heart forever," she said.
Ms Biggs told the teenagers they could still change their lives.
"You have an opportunity to choose how to use the rest of your lives, to make a better future for your family, your community and your children," she said.
Ms Biggs said there were no words to describe the agony and anguish she felt.
"When you have your own children, then you will understand what you took from us," she said.
Judge Reynolds, who questioned the remorse of the troubled teenagers, said he hoped they would take note of Ms Biggs' comments in their rehabilitation.
Mr Litchfield's girlfriend, Lisa Emes, said in her victim impact statement that she screamed for him to wake up in hospital so she could see his blue eyes again.
The court heard that two of the boys did not have criminal records, but two others had violent records including one who was involved in an attempted group sex attack and another who threw a brick at a person's face.
Three teenagers were each sentenced to four-and-a-half years in detention, while the instigator was sentenced to five-and-a-half years behind bars.
Each boy has already been in custody for about a year and will be eligible for supervised release orders after serving half their sentences.
A fifth boy was acquitted of any crime against Mr Litchfield, while a charge against a sixth boy was dropped during the trial.
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