TWO men who beat their homeless friend to death in a drunken row over a piece of jewellery have been jailed for three years each. Robin Shamuganathan, 35, and Thayaparan Arulampalam, 39, coshed 40-year-old Thiyagarajah Thiyananthar over the head with a p

TWO men who beat their homeless friend to death in a drunken row over a piece of jewellery have been jailed for three years each.

Robin Shamuganathan, 35, and Thayaparan Arulampalam, 39, coshed 40-year-old Thiyagarajah Thiyananthar over the head with a piece of wood and continually punched him in the head during the fight at a disused warehouse in Atlip Road, Alperton, on May 31 last year.

Arulampalam had accused him of stealing a silver pendant and chain from him.

A witness and friend of the victim, known as 'Bala', failed to prevent the flurry of blows as he lay on the ground.

The pair fled but threatened to return the following day for a further beating if the pendant was not returned.

On Monday at the Old Bailey, both men admitted manslaughter.

Simon Mayo, prosecuting said: "It seems that both defendants were regular visitors to the site and would on occasion bring with them drink which they would share with Bala and the victim.

"It is right to say that all four men frequented the same betting shop in the Ealing Road area."

Bala left Mr Thiyananthar and when he returned later that night he found his friend asleep.

The next evening the victim had still not returned the missing pendant and when Bala woke nearly 10 hours later his friend was clearly dead beside him.

The cause of death was given as brain damage caused by blows to his face.

Shamuganathan, of no fixed address, and Arulampalam, from Manchester, had denied murder and the prosecution dropped the charge.