Five guilty of Lincoln man's killing

Five people have been found guilty of killing a "vulnerable" Lincoln man.

Shaun Rossington, 21, who had Asperger's Syndrome, was found dead on grassland near Searby Road on 3 June. He had died of head injuries.

Nicholas Shelbourne, 27, Mark Jackson, 21, Daryll Jones, 17, and Jordan O'Rouke, 17, were convicted of murder at Nottingham Crown Court.

A 17-year-old girl was found guilty of manslaughter. A 16-year-old boy and a girl, 14, were cleared of murder.

Previous reporting restrictions on the identities of Jones and O'Rouke were lifted on Friday by judge Mrs Justice Cox.

As the verdicts were read out Daryll Jones - who had pleaded guilty to manslaughter - smiled, then shrugged his shoulders and held up his hands.

Multiple injuries

Mrs Justice Cox paid tribute to the bravery of Mr Rossington's family who attended throughout the trial.

The 17-year-old girl was cleared of murder. The 16-year-old boy and the 14-year-old girl were also cleared of a charge of manslaughter.

Mr Rossington, who was described as having borderline to mild learning difficulties and autistic traits, was lured to where the gang was waiting.

He was punched, cut, kicked and stamped on and left face down on the ground. He was found dead in the early hours of the morning with 26 injuries on his body.

Cover story

The group then conspired to cover up the murder. They planted Mr Rossington's shoes in the road to make it look like a car crash.

Jackson and the 17-year-old girl returned to the scene, calling emergency services and claiming they had just found the body.

The court heard they all told officers different stories in interview, raising suspicions about their involvement.

During the trial the prosecution said he had gone to the spot to meet the 14-year-old girl, who was 13 at the time.

She was cleared of murder and manslaughter but convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Jackson, of Yarborough Road, Lincoln, the 17-year-old girl and the 14-year-old girl were also convicted of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice, while Shelbourne, of Edinburgh House, Laughton Way, Lincoln, Jones, and O'Rouke, also of Lincoln, pleaded guilty to this charge.

The defendants found guilty will be sentenced in January.