Man Jailed For Life Again Over Brighton Murder

(c) Sussex Police

A man who murdered a rough sleeper in Brighton by repeatedly hitting him with a stone slab has been sentenced to life in prison for a second time.

Sergio Lemori, 40, killed 54-year-old Andrew O'Connell as he slept in the Royal Pavilion Gardens on August 7, 2018.

Mr O'Connell was from Chatham in Kent.

Lemori, who has no fixed address, originally pleaded guilty to murder and was convicted in December 2018.

Six years later, he successfully appealed his conviction on the grounds of diminished responsibility.

(c) Sussex Police: (Left): Sergio Lemori and (Right): Victim Andrew O'Connell

The case was then retried at Hove Crown Court, where a jury unanimously found Lemori guilty of murder.

He has now been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum term of 25 years.

CCTV captured the attack, which happened shortly before midnight.

Lemori struck Mr O'Connell four times with the stone in what Sussex Police described as a completely unprovoked attack on a “vulnerable and defenceless man”.

Mr O'Connell was found at around 7.10am the following morning and died two days later at the Royal Sussex County Hospital.

Following the latest conviction, Mr O'Connell's family said the appeal had not changed the truth of what happened.

They said he deserved “justice, dignity, and to have his voice heard”, adding that his absence is still felt every day.

Detective Inspector Debbie Birch said Andrew's family had shown “incredible strength and courage” in having to go through court proceedings for a second time.

She said she hoped the unanimous guilty verdict would finally allow them to find some solace.