TWO thugs who beat a student to death have been jailed for life.

Anthony Silcock and Carl Newton were convicted by unanimous verdicts of the murder of 21-year-old Joe Medforth.

They have been told they must serve at least 13-and-a-half years each before even being considered for parole.

After a week-long trial at Preston Crown Court, the jury took less than two hours to reach their guilty verdicts.

As he was led to the cells, Newton made an obscene gesture to the jury.

Mr Medforth, from Ryther, between York and Selby, was walking home after a night out in Preston with two student friends last July when he was picked on by hooded attackers.

Mr Medforth was knocked to the ground and his head hit the floor. He was probably unconscious when his attackers returned and he was kicked in the head.

He initially regained consciousness, but his condition suddenly deteriorated in hospital, and he died due to a brain injury 30 hours after the attack, on July 17.

Silcock, 20, of Villiers Court, Plungington, Preston, and Newton, 21, of Princess Way, Euxton, near Chorley, had each denied murder.

Silcock claimed Mr Medforth had gone to the ground as he was being taunted during a "play fight". He accepted he had kicked him in the face, but said he had no intention to cause serious injury.

Newton did not give evidence to the trial, but had claimed to police he had done nothing except tap the body on the ground "to see if he was moving".

Silcock will begin his sentence in youth detention before moving to an adult prison at 21.

Judge Michael Henshell told the pair Mr Medforth was on the verge of a highly-promising adult life.

He told the pair he accepted there was no intention to kill, but they had wanted to do serious harm to their victim.

Even when they were eventually released from their sentences, they would remain on licence for the rest of their lives and liable to be recalled to prison, he warned.

Mr Medforth, a psychology student at the University of Central Lancashire, in Preston, had visited the Warehouse nightclub, in Preston. His two friends told the trial they had been "tipsy" but not drunk and were walking home.

The court heard that none of the students reacted in any way as the hooded attackers walked across the road and launched their fatal assault.

After the verdict, the court was told both Silcock and Newton also had previous convictions for violence.

'We won't forgive these evil cowards'

JOE MEDFORTH'S family said today they could not forgive the "evil cowards" who carried out the mindless booze-fuelled assault that caused his death.

But his mother, Susan, said she believed Joe would have forgiven his attackers.

She said: "I'm just so pleased they have been found guilty.

"Joe was possibly going to have a career in criminal psychology, and may have been helping people like his killers.

"I can't forgive them, as they have taken him away from us, but Joe probably would have. He was gentle and caring, a very spiritual person. Joe was loved by everyone, he never had an enemy."

Fighting back tears, she added: "He turned 21 three weeks before he died, and when I last saw him he gave me a big hug, it was like he knew he would never see me again.

"He was really nice and calm. He was very friendly with everyone, and was always smiling.

"It's been a big loss for the family, and I have suffered with nightmares, as has his sister, Laura. They were very close.We are heartbroken."

His brother, Nigel, said: "Preston is a better place without these two evil people who have been kicking people from a young age. They have been bullies all their lives. It was a cowardly attack, and they didn't give him a chance."

Albert Medforth, Joe's father, said: "All through his life, Joe went out of his way to help people, he is a great loss to the world. He was at the beginning of his life, and it is our regret we will not see him graduate."

Victim of 'random street attack'

HIS family described him as "the most gentle person in the world" - but he died in the most brutal way.

Joe Medforth's horrific killing in a random street attack in Preston while he walked home from a night out shocked the tight-knit community of Ryther, where he lived with his parents, Albert and Susan.

Geoff Mitchell, head teacher at Tadcaster Grammar School, where the 21-year-old had been a popular pupil, summed up his character not long after the

tragic news was announced.

He said: "Joe was a larger-than-life character that everybody knew - a nicer lad you couldn't wish to meet. He was thoughtful and reflective and just very gentle - he was an absolute star."

The extent of Joe's popularity was highlighted at his funeral service at St Wilfred's Church, Brayton, when every seat was taken as hundreds of mourners squeezed in to pay their respects.

A double-decker bus full of his friends from the University of Central Lancashire made the journey from Preston for the service.

For Joe's family, the pain of losing him has been unbearable.

His father, Albert, 73, who ran Cawood Post Office for many years, was at his bedside in the Royal Preston Hospital, as his life ebbed away. He said: "He kept drifting off to sleep and then waking up and saying: 'Hello Dad'. He was my future."

Joe's heartbroken mother, Susan, wrote a poem about her son to help with the grieving process, entitled Aching Sadness Now Visits My Heart.

It said: "I have no measure of time in my thoughts, and one day I shall hold you again, my beautiful son. So till then, my dreams and faith will keep me strong."

Joe, who was also close to his sister, Laura, had an avid interest in martial arts. His trainers had suggested he could be accepted into the British team for the 2012 London Olympics.

Vinh Quang, who taught Joe kung-fu at university, said: "He was one of my best pupils in the past two years and, under normal circumstances, he would have been able to protect himself."

Updated: 10:34 Friday, January 13, 2006