Man jailed for killing sex offender

A young man who bashed to death a [sex offender] will spend at least 15 years in jail.

Justice John Sulan said Jeffrey Edwin Payne's death, in April last year, was extremely brutal.

He was chased through a reserve near his home at Northfield in Adelaide and repeatedly stomped on.

Payne died of head injuries.

His killer Timothy Hemi Schaefer, 20, admitted murdering Payne in a drunken rage, but said he did not know what sparked the attack.

Justice Sulan said Schaefer had been abused by Payne and he was satisfied there were sexual connotations behind the attack.

A mandatory life prison term was set, with a 15-year non-parole period.

Sex offender killer paused for cigarette

The judge said Schaefer had known Payne for some time, as the victim was often visited in his home by young boys, including Schaefer, who he gave alcohol and drugs to.

Payne had convictions for sex offences and on the night of the attack, Schaefer had gone to his house "fired up" by a discussion about pedophiles with some friends.

Justice Sulan said Schaefer first attacked his victim in his home and then again in park nearby, a post-mortem examination revealed a crushed skull, fractured bones in Payne's face and multiple stab wounds.

There were also bruises and abrasions on his neck consistent with him being strangled.

"The deceased received a severe beating," Justice Sulan said.

In sentencing submissions earlier this year prosecutor Jane Powell said Schaefer had never expressed any remorse about killing the man he described to police as "a sack of shit".

She said Schaefer had paused to have a cigarette during his prolonged attack on Payne.

However, Justice Sulan said today he was satisfied there were special circumstances to allow him to set a shorter than usual minimum jail term, taking into account Schaefer's troubled life and early guilty plea.

He said Schaefer had been abused by his father then abused while in foster care, suffered from long-standing depression and anxiety and had used drugs and alcohol from 13.

When he was 17 he was also attacked by someone using a hammer and suffered a fractured skull, the incident leaving him with a post-traumatic stress disorder.

Justice Sulan imposed the mandatory head sentence of life in prison but set a non-parole period of 15 years.