Mr Norton was killed playing cricket at the Erith Sports Centre

The youngsters were disruptive in court while standing trial for killing Ernest Norton, 67, at south-east London park.

Judge Warwick McKinnon was forced to apply new bail conditions in the middle of the trial after concerns from staff.

Two of the boys had been seen hanging out of windows, he said, and ordered they be accompanied at all times.

Dozed off

The five were found guilty for the manslaughter of Mr Norton after the pensioner suffered a heart attack when he was pelted with stones.

The trial was held under special conditions because of the unusually young age of the defendants.

Ernest Norton was hit on the head by stones at least twice

Neither the barristers nor the judge wore the usual formal court gowns or wigs, and breaks in evidence were much more frequent in an attempt to help the youngsters cope with the trial.

Each of the boys had one of their parents accompany them to court and sit in the dock beside them each day.

But one of the boys, 14, had dozed off during the trial despite this.

The court heard the boys belonged to a gang called The New Estate or TNE, which had its own website.

One of the boys said the gang did not have any purpose apart from playing football and "manhunt", a form of hide-and-seek, he said.