Holidaymakers saw two men beat a teenager to death on a summer afternoon in Britain’s leading surfing resort.

Joe Knight, 19, was punched in the face and stamped on as he lay unconscious on a busy road in Newquay at the height of the season, Truro Crown Court was told. He died the next day of bleeding on the brain.

Yesterday Andrew Bray, 26, and Thomas Dickson, 38, were convicted of murdering the teenager outside the Barracuda club last August.

Dickson’s boot matched that of an imprint left on the teenager’s face.

The court had heard evidence via video link from a 12-year-old boy who witnessed the attack. “It was an unprovoked attack by the bald man on the younger man,” the boy told the jury. “The bald man got him in a headlock tightly and punched him two or three times in the face with his clenched fist. He punched as hard as he could.

“During the whole fight, I didn’t see the younger man retaliate at all. He was just kind of dazed by it all.

“Then, just randomly, the skinny man just stamped on the man who was unconscious – on the head.”

Two holidaying pensioners from Northumberland also saw the attack. Herbert Nicholson said: “The first punch put the lad on the ground. He was badly hurt.” Mr Nicholson’s wife, Patricia, said: “He was like a ragdoll – he just flopped.”

The victim’s best friend, Peter Rowe, 20, a motor mechanic, said that he had arrived after Bray punched the victim unconscious. “Joe was slumped in the corner,” he said. “As Dickson walked over, he looked calm. As he got near, his face screwed up and he suddenly looked really angry and evil.

“He lifted his leg knee-high and stamped his foot on Joe’s forehead. Joe’s head took the full impact on the concrete ground.”

Bray had admitted manslaughter during the two-week trial at Truro Crown Court – a plea rejected by the Crown. He and Dickson were jailed for life and told that each must serve nine years before they can be considered for release by the Parole Board.

Martin Meeke, QC, for the prosecution, said: “This was a planned attack by the two defendants. They hatched a plan that Joe Knight would be attacked. They were spoiling for a fight. They were not there for a quiet drink.”

Jailing Bray and Dickson yesterday, Judge Graham Cottle said that the murder of Mr Knight, from St Dennis, was “another act of senseless violence which has tarnished the reputation of one of Cornwall’s leading holiday resorts.

“His family are left to mourn the needless death of one of their number who was loved and cherished.”

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