TWO men are facing jail sentences after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of a father-of-six.

The prosecution offered no evidence against Christopher Goldfinch and Scott Stevens both aged 23 and both from Ashford, when their murder trail was due to start at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday, and accepted a guilty plea to manslaughter.

The pair admitted beating Paul Hopkins, aged 32, in front of his children at his home near Ashford in August last year.

He died from head injuries four months later without regaining consciousness.

Mr Hopkins, a former Bexley Grammar School pupil, was born and brought up in Bexley.

His death was a second tragedy for his mother Caron Hart, 50, who still lives in Erith.

Her younger son, Antony, died aged 15 in 1996 when his motorbike skidded and hit a lamppost in Barnehurst.

Goldfinch and Stevens were remanded in custody for sentencing next month.