A man who murdered a man sleeping rough by repeatedly dropping a stone slab on his head has been sentenced again after successfully appealing his first conviction.
Sergio Lemori, 40, killed Andrew O'Connell, 54, from Chatham in Kent, while he slept in Brighton's Royal Pavilion Gardens on the evening of 7 August, 2018.
Lemori, of no fixed address, originally pleaded guilty to the murder in December 2018 but after six years, successfully appealed his conviction on the basis of diminished responsibility.
The case was retried at Hove Crown Court where a jury returned a unanimous guilty verdict and Lemori has now been re-sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years.
In a statement released after Lemori's re-conviction, O'Connell's family said: "Although the defendant chose to appeal, the truth remained unchanged.
"While no court decision can undo the loss or erase the suffering, it reaffirms what we have always known - that Andy deserved justice, dignity, and to have his voice heard.
"We honour a life that was taken far too soon, a life that touched so many people with love, kindness, and memories that will never fade.
"His absence is felt every day, but so too is his lasting impact on everyone fortunate enough to have known him."
CCTV footage showed Lemori carrying out the attack. He initially denied the offence but later admitted murder before his first conviction.
Lemori struck O'Connell, who he was not known to, with the stone four times in what Sussex Police Det Insp Debbie Birch called a "completely unprovoked attack on a vulnerable and defenceless man".
After the attack which happened shortly before midnight, O'Connell was discovered at about 07:10 BST the morning after.
He died two days later at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.
Birch said: "I'd like to commend the incredible strength and courage shown by Andrew's family, who have had to endure court proceedings for a second time.
"I hope that following the unanimous guilty verdict, they are finally able to find some solace."
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