A widow whose husband died after being stoned by a gang of boys said yesterday: “Justice has not been done.”

Linda Norton, 56, was speaking after the manslaughter convictions of the five boys, for the death of her husband Ernest, 67, were quashed. Each received a 12-month supervision order for violent disorder yesterday.

They had served 55 days in youth detention for the attack on Mr Norton while he played cricket with his son James, 17, in February 2006.

“I’m feeling numb again. I was not expecting one year,” Mrs Norton said.

“Justice has not been done, but that is the way the law is and that’s all you can do unless they change the law. I do not believe that this has even taught them a lesson.”

The Court of Appeal quashed the manslaughter convictions after it decided that there was not enough proof that their actions had caused the death of Mr Norton. The father of two was at the Erith Leisure Centre in Kent when he collapsed with a heart attack as the children, aged between 10 and 13, jeered, spat at him and threw stones. One struck him on the temple and fractured his cheekbone.

They were convicted of manslaughter and violent disorder at the Old Bailey in August. Their convictions for violent disorder were upheld.

Detective Inspector Clive Hayes, of the Metropolitan Police, said after the hearing yesterday: “In my view the sentence does not fit the circumstances of the crime in this case. That is in no way a criticism of the judge, but a criticism of the law, which does not allow a stiffer sentence being given.”

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