A teenager who acted out the brutal lyrics of a song by controversial rapper Eminem has been jailed for life.

Former Welsh guardsman Richard Jones, 47, was found battered to death in a seaside shelter on a promenade in South Shields on New Year's Day 2002.

David Pallister, 18, of Ashley Road, South Shields admitted murder at a previous hearing and on Friday, Mr Justice Hooper sentenced him to life in jail at Newcastle Crown Court.

The court heard the teenager listened repeatedly to a track by Eminem's band D-12 called Fight Music, which includes references to extreme violence and sex.

Eminem: Criticised for his violent stage act

Toby Hedworth QC, prosecuting told the court that Pallister's former housemate Kelly Percival told police he frequently listened to the rap track.

Forensic psychiatrist Dr Kim Fraser said as well as including sexual references, there was a "great deal" of violence in the track's lyrics.

Pallister had told Dr Fraser he had "tried to ignore" the lyrics, when he listened to the track after the killing.

The psychiatrist agreed with David Robson, QC, defending that "for reasons best known to themselves", a large proportion of young people were Eminem fans and there was nothing "unusual or suspect" about listening to the rap artist.

Mr Jones had been sleeping rough in a seafront shelter in South Shields when he was attacked early on New Year's Day, 2002.

Pallister disturbed Mr Jones, who had chosen to live rough, as he slept in the shelter in sub-zero temperatures.

David Pallister: DNA match proved he was killer

He repeatedly kicked and stamped on Mr Jones' head, causing brain damage from which Mr Jones died.

The freezing temperatures and a covering of snow helped preserve evidence, including footprints, bicycle tracks and a bloody fingerprint.

A later DNA match delivered conclusive proof that Pallister was the killer.

Judge Hooper praised the team of detectives who worked in extremely cold conditions at the exposed murder scene and managed to preserve crucial evidence.

Passing sentence, the judge told Pallister: "You carried out a prolonged and extremely violent attack on a 47-year-old man who had chosen to sleep in a shelter on the promenade at South Shields."