PTI

London, Mar 21: Three British teenagers who pleaded guilty to the sensational killing of an Indian sailor in Southampton in a racist attack in October 2007  have been sentenced to six and a half years each in prison.

Teenagers, Chay Fields, Stephen Pritchard and Daniel Rogers had attacked Goa-origin Indian sailor Gregory Fernandes "like a pack of dogs" minutes before he collapsed and died, Winchester Crown Court was told.

The jail sentences were delivered yesterday. Fernandes, 32, was set upon by the teenagers who boasted that they wanted to 'beat a Paki' when they saw him and his colleague, Vinod P return to their ship, The Garonne, after a drink in a local hotel in Fawley, Southampton.

In the incident that hit headlines here and in India, the two were attacked until passerby Jody Miles rescued Fernandes and took him to nearby docks, where he collapsed and died. Vinod, 29, suffered a broken collar bone.

Justice Royce, jailed Fields, 16, Rogers, 18, and Pritchard, 18, to six and a half years each. All three had pleaded guilty to manslaughter during a hearing in February as well as a further charge of grievous body harm on Vinod.

A fourth teenager, now aged 15, was sentenced to a 12-month detention and training order. He admitted inflicting grievous body harm on Vinod.

A fifth teenager was given a non-custodial 18-month supervision order. Justice Royce ordered that 250 pounds be released from public funds for Jody Miles as a token recognition of his bravery.

Detective inspector Dave Dilly of the Hampshire police said: "Mr Fernandes suffered heart failure brought on by the stress of the attack.

"He was having a drink and then a takeaway and there were lots of youths hanging around who had been drinking. Some part of that group chased him and his friend up the road and set upon him.

"A member of the public, Jody Miles, intervened and rescued Mr Fernandes, put him in his car and drove him to Fawley refinery. He then went back to help Mr Vinod.

But within seconds of being dropped off at the front gate, Mr Fernandes dropped down dead from heart failure brought on by the attack."

He added, "There was evidence that some of [the defendants], prior to setting eyes on Mr Fernandes, were saying they wanted to beat up a 'Paki' - that was the sort of language being used."

The village of Fawley which had never witnessed such a racially motivated attack, was plunged into shame and mourning. An emotional candlelight vigil was held in the village square and funds raised to help Fernandes' family in Goa.