Teenager gets life for brutal killing of former civil servant

Paul O'Brien, 54 suffered brain damage and never regained consciousness following the assault by Aaron Raymond Boot, in January last year at the house in Leeds where both were staying.

Boot, who was then only 17, told his girlfriend he kicked his victim in the head eight times. He denied murder but was unanimously convicted by a jury at Leeds Crown Court earlier this month.

Sentencing Boot, now 18, yesterday to custody for life Mr Justice Blair said he had viciously attacked Mr O'Brien, an older man "in no position to stand up to you".

"I am satisfied on the evidence that you were not drunk but had been drinking and that played a major part in this crime. You tried to dominate him for your own interests."

Ordering Boot to serve a minimum of 11 years before he can be considered for parole, he said it was accepted the teenager had intended to cause grievous bodily harm rather than kill.

Mr O'Brien, a former civil servant, had only been at the bedsits for homeless people in Florence Grove, Harehills, for four days pending his moving into his own premises.

On January 9 a 999 call was made to the ambulance service by Boot claiming to have discovered a fellow resident in a beaten condition.

Paramedics and police found Mr O'Brien in the living room, unconscious and covered with blood.

Boot claimed he had returned to the property and found him in that condition but the jury heard he confessed to his girlfriend having done something bad.

William Harbage QC, for Boot, said his probation report described him as a "very damaged young man", who, although only 17 at the time, was almost an alcoholic.

After the case Mr O'Brien's brother Kevin from Garforth, Leeds, said his brother was from a different world to Boot. He was highly intelligent, with a good sense of humour.

"He was a very soft hearted person and would do anything to help anyone but unfortunately he was gullible and people took advantage of him," said Kevin O'Brien.

His brother eventually died in June. "I suppose I had been hoping for a miracle and all I ever wanted to do was to talk to him and for me to be able to tell him that I was sorry that things had turned out like they did."