Trecco Bay mistaken ID murderer David Braddon's life term

Members of Mr Marshall's family broke into a round of applause when David Braddon was sentenced to life

A man who beat a teenager with a pole in an alcohol and drug-fuelled rage after he mistook him for someone else has been jailed for life.

Conner Marshall, 18, from Barry, died four days after he was seriously assaulted at Trecco Bay caravan park in Porthcawl, Bridgend county, on 8 March.

David James Braddon, 26, from Caerphilly, admitted his murder.

Cardiff Crown Court was told he must serve a minimum of 20 years.

Mr Marshall was staying at the caravan site with friends when he left them to walk to the nearby beach at 09:30 GMT.

Later that night, Braddon saw him and shouted abuse at him.

The court heard the attacker believed he was confronting his ex-girlfriend's former partner, a man called Adam Malyn.

The pair "wrestled" and when Mr Marshall passed out, Braddon "stomped" on his face, kicked his ribs and hit him repeatedly with a pole.

Conner Marshall was found in a life-threatening condition at the Porthcawl site

Michael Jones, prosecuting, said Braddon then stripped Mr Marshall naked because he "wanted to humiliate him".

He punched him again but after checking his face, realised it was the wrong person.

Braddon asked Mr Marshall if he was all right, before going back to his caravan with "blood all over his face".

The court heard Braddon had taken 50 Valium tablets, as well as cocaine, and had been drinking alcohol.

During police interview he said he went out that night intending to have a fight but his "mind wasn't to kill someone".

He later admitted "he went over the top" in the attack.

Heath Edwards, defending, said Braddon made no excuses for his actions and deeply regretted the heartache he had caused Mr Marshall's family.

"The family of Conner Marshall will suffer from this point on but it's also the case the family [of] David Braddon will suffer for what he did," he said.

"The defendant did not set out to kill that night he set out to cause actual bodily harm."

Sentencing him to life, judge Mr Justice Wyn Williams, said Braddon had subjected Mr Marshall to a sustained and brutal assault and had brought "untold misery and despair to his family".

"That day you had taken significant amounts of alcohol, valium and cocaine.

"This makes it very much worse. There was a horrific degree of suffering. You sought to humiliate him."

But the judge said Braddon had shown remorse and he accepted his intention that night was to cause serious injury and not to kill.

Police were called to the site after Mr Marshall was discovered under a caravan