A notorious criminal who smirked after killing a father on his way home from watching the Champions League final told police: "I do not give a f***."
The sickening interview James Gelling gave detectives was revealed for the first time today during his sentencing at Liverpool Crown Court.
Gelling, of Hampton Road, Southport , formed part of a "gang of about seven' who attacked father-of-two Ventsislav Marginov, 51, after all watching Liverpool's win.
The Bulgarian native and LFC fan suffered a fractured skull from the brutal attack and had to be put on a life-support machine for his injuries.
He died on June 4.
The court heard how serial criminal Gelling, 32, said in a police interview: "I'm not a***d if he dies or lives, he's injured permanently, a cabbage. I do not give a f***."
Gelling was jailed for six years.
Sentencing, Judge Andrew Menary, QC, the Recorder of Liverpool, called the attack an "outrageous incident of street violence" and labelled Gelling "cowardly".
He said: "You are a lout who just looks for trouble and it's people like you who make towns like Southport hostile environments."
John McDermott QC, prosecuting, said Gelling and his friends had been out watching the Reds' clinch with Tottenham Hotspur in the Metro Bar and Hotel, on Portland Street.
Mr Marginov and his two boys had also been watching the match, in Victoria Park, before their paths crossed with Gelling's outside of the Scarisbrick Hotel, at about 10.45pm.
Gelling, who admitted he had taken cocaine on the night, had claimed that some "foreign lads had started to argue" with his friends and he had intervened to stop a scuffle. The prosecution said this was "simply a lie".
Paul Becker, defending, said there was no evidence of racial abuse in the attack.
Mr Marginov's son was punched during the encounter by a member of Gelling's group, but it was Gelling who delivered the fatal punch to the 51-year-old.
Mr McDermott said Gelling, who was handcuffed to a security guard throughout his sentencing, had punched Mr Marginov to the back of the head, causing him to fall.
A witness to the attack, James Hinton, said the victim "looked like an older man and was no threat to anyone." Reading his account aloud, Mr McDermott said the witness saw Mr Marginov "crumpled in a heap" after receiving the fatal blow.
After the punch was thrown, Mr McDermott said Gelling was seen to "pull his jumper over his face and was smirking".
Gelling and his group of pals left the scene and were later captured on CCTV of bars they entered. In an attempt to conceal his identity, Gelling removed his "distinguishable" white shirt, Mr McDermott said.
When interviewed Gelling had denied being the attacker and had initially claimed he was a victim of assault.
He also claimed he only removed his top because he was warm and did not know anyone was injured.
Mr Becker said Gelling regretted the crass comments made in the police interview about not caring for Mr Marginov's welfare.
He said: "The defendant is extremely remorseful. He regrets and is ashamed of the comments he made to the police and was distressed when he learned the life support machine had been switched off."
Mr Marginov's son, Hristo, said the family had been left devastated at the loss of their father.
Reading a victim impact statement from Hristo, Mr McDermott said: "It's destroyed us"
He said: "We are trying to pick each other out of it but, but as a family we will never be the same."
Speaking for Mr Marginov's wife Branimira, Mr McDermott said: "He was a calm man, he loved reading very much. We have a family library in Bulgaria of up to 300 books.
"He loved football and had always supported Liverpool."
Mr McDermott said his wife had found the night time particularly difficult and struggled being alone since her husband's death.
Judge Menary told Gelling: "He had the terrible misfortune of coming across you and your group of violent lads.
"For no good reason at all, I don't know if he looked at you the wrong way or you heard their foreign accents, one of your friends attacked his son.
"While he was watching all of this unfurl and doing absolutely nothing, you punched him from behind. He had no opportunity to defend himself."
He added: "It was a most cowardly and idiotic encounter that had tragic consequences."
Gelling, who had extra security measures taken to keep him in the dock after he previously made an attempt to escape Bootle Magistrates Court, was given an extended sentence of 10 years.
After pleading guilty to the crime, Gelling was jailed for six years, with an extended four years on licence.
This type of sentence means he will serve a minimum of two thirds of the prison term - four years - behind bars, before a parole board will consider whether it is safe to release him.
