A LEARNING disability charity has said the murder of vulnerable Lee Irving is yet another example of how some people can't accept "difference in our society".

The 24-year-old - born with profound learning difficulties - was sedated with drugs and beaten to death over several days by "brutal bully" James Wheatley - who was jailed on Friday for a minimum of 23 years.

Lee became a target when he ended up living with Wheatley, who he thought was a friend, in his chaotic household in Kenton, Newcastle. His disability meant he was unable to defend himself from the 29-year-old's merciless attacks.

Rossanna Trugian, head of campaigns with charity Mencap, said: "Lee Irving was a young man who had to endure the misery of hate crime with the most devastating consequences.

"His tragic death must now unite the public in voicing their opposition to such deplorable attitudes towards disability."

Lee's mother Beverley said his profound learning difficulties were diagnosed in early childhood and he was six or seven-years-old before he even spoke.

Other children picked on him and when he was older he would ask her what it meant when he was called "backward" or "spacker".

He was unable to manage money and once, when he was paid £500 in back benefits, the cash was quickly taken from him.

Money, mobile phones and even the clothes he wore would disappear when he went out of the house, his mother added.

After leaving Percy Hedley School school, Mr Irving would disappear from home and his mother would report him missing and scour Newcastle city centre for him.

Newcastle Crown Court heard Nicole Lawrence persuaded his mother to pass on bank details, claiming Mr Irving was living with her.

That allowed her boyfriend Wheatley, to sign him up for online banking so they could plunder his money.

Wheatley's mother Julie Mills, 52, Lawrence, 22, and his accomplice Barry Imray, 35, who also has learning difficulties, did nothing to protect Lee.

After an initial beating Lawrence suggested dumping him in Durham once his injuries had healed so his mother would think he was living rough.

Lee suffered 27 rib fractures, multiple bruising across his body, cuts and fractures to his nose and jaw caused by a combination of punching, kicking and stamping. Experts likened his injuries to someone in a car crash.

Wheatley was convicted of murder while Mills was jailed for eight years for causing or allowing the death of a vulnerable adult and perverting the cause of justice.

Lawrence was convicted of the same offences and jailed for four years. Imray, who had admitted perverting the course of justice, was convicted of causing or allowing Lee's death and jailed for three years.