A former boxer jailed for eight years after being found guilty of killing a customer in a Dartford kebab shop slid a photograph of his victim's body under a prison cell door, a court heard.

The sickening revelation came to light after the jury today returned a unanimous verdict in the trial of 29-year-old Eddy Ives.

Ives, of no fixed address but formerly from Gravesend, had denied the manslaughter of 30-year-old stranger Ben Mahoney during a week-long trial at Maidstone Crown Court.

After the verdict was announced, prosecutor Ian Hope informed the packed courtroom of the sinister action by Ives while he was on the segregation wing at Lewes Prison on July 6 awaiting trial.

Mr Hope said the photograph appeared to be one taken by a scenes of crime police officer of Mr Mahoney as he lay dead on the floor of the House on the Hill kebab shop in East Hill on April 12.

"It was being used either to threaten that prisoner or as a form of effectively boasting at what had happened," said Mr Hope.

The revelation drew gasps of shock from Mr Mahoney's family sitting in the public gallery. One was heard to say: "Sick".

During the trial, the court also heard that at the time Ives killed Mr Mahoney, he was on licence from a 15-month prison sentence imposed in September last year for witness intimidation. He had been released just six weeks earlier on March 1.

After the verdict the prosecutor was able to reveal details of that conviction, which related to an incident in which Ives punched a man in a row over a stolen travel card.

The incident was reported to police, only for Ives to attack the man for a second time.

"He was visited by the defendant who again punched the man, held him by the throat and urinated upon him," said Mr Hope.

"Time and time again you have committed acts of violence against serving police officers and members of the public. You have never learnt your lesson..." - Judge Jeremy Carey

The father-of-two, a one-time champion schoolboy boxer and Olympic hopeful, has a total of 23 previous convictions for 33 offences, many relating to violence.

The jury heard the two men had not met before that night. Mr Mahoney and a friend were waiting for their food when Ives came in in what was described as a "demanding and aggressive" mood.

Mr Mahoney, who was a regular customer at the kebab shop, took exception to Ives's attitude and confronted him. It was excepted by the prosecution that the air-conditioning installer threw the first punch and a scuffle broke out between the two.

Passing sentence. Judge Jeremy Carey said he accepted Ives had not gone looking for trouble that night, and that his "seemingly loutish" behaviour did not justify an attack on him.

But he described the combination of Mr Mahoney feeling secure in a kebab shop he used regularly, and "perhaps protective" towards the members of staff, with Ives's general demeanour was a "highly dangerous cocktail".

The judge added the initial blow was "relatively ineffective" on a man of Ives's size and ability to "look after himself", and the matter should have ended with "limited retaliation".

CCTV footage shown to the jury showed Ives leaving the kebab shop, only to go back in two seconds later.

"You made a great error in coming back in that shop," added Judge Carey. "I have no doubt you lost your temper and weren't prepared to leave it there.

"There was another scuffle and then, either in the face of limited provocation or no provocation at all, you went for him.

"Mr Mahoney went behind the counter in terror because he could see just how determined you were to get to him, and then you beat him.

"You punched him at least three times and, I am satisfied, more, and you punched him I accept on the pathologist's evidence with moderate force.

"But that moderate force caused his head to jerk back so violently that an artery ruptured and he sustained a grave injury from which, as one witness described, he died almost on his feet."

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Ives, who was said by his mum to have Asperger's, was originally charged with murder but the prosecution offered no evidence at the start of his trial.

In his sentencing comments, Judge Carey said he accepted Ives had no intention of killing Mr Mahoney - who lived in St Martin's Road, Newtown, Dartford - or causing really serious harm.

But he said the offence of manslaughter was aggravated by the fact it occurred in a public place and by Ives's "depressingly repetitious" criminal record.

"Time and time again you have committed acts of violence against serving police officers and members of the public. You have never learnt your lesson," said the judge.

Finally ordering Ives to stand in the dock, Judge Carey concluded: "You need to understand the grave position which you now face. You have taken a man's life."

During the trial the court heard from kebab shop manager Cafir Zorlu, who said Mr Mahoney was "dead standing up" from the beating.

Another witness told how Ives was "bouncing with adrenalin" in the immediate aftermath, threatening staff and even Mr Mahoney's friend, Billy Cheetham. He also swiped food and drink off the counter.

He then demanded compensation for his stained jumper sleeve as Mr Mahoney lay prone and unresponsive on the floor behind the shop counter. He first asked for £90, and then reduced his demand to £30.

He was also refunded the money he had paid for his kebab and burger before striding out of the shop, beer can in his hand and closely followed by another man carrying his jacket.

Video: Police outside the scene of Ben Mahoney's death

The court heard staff and customers tried to keep Ives away from Mr Mahoney, but were too frightened to intervene further because of his aggression.

Ives was found less than two hours later hiding under a sleeping child's bed at a nearby address in St Roman's View.

Ives told the jury he had acted in self-defence because he feared Mr Mahoney might arm himself with a knife.

He said he was not looking for trouble and wanted nothing more than a kebab.

His promising career as a boxer ended when he started taking crack cocaine at the age of 16, the court heard.

He had taken the drug on the evening he killed Mr Mahoney and admitted he was upset after his girlfriend had thrown him out of her Gravesend home.

After the verdict, Mr Mahoney's mother Barbara paid tribute to the keen West Ham fan.

She said: "Our family and friends' lives have completely changed, as we have lost an important person. Ben will never be out of our thoughts.

"Personally for me I have lost a loving son and friend whom I cherished. He was always there for me, even more so since he and his brother lost their Dad.

"This has left me heartbroken. I will never get over this, but we will as a family learn to live with this and cherish our memories of Ben.

"Ben was always happy and always smiling. This is how everyone remembers him.

"The sentence that the person responsible receives will never be enough for the loss of my son."

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Speaking after the sentence, DCI Paul Fotheringham, from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, said: "This started off as a physical scuffle and descended into a vicious and sustained beating.

"By the end of the fight, Mr Mahoney was no longer responding and was trying to protect his head with his hands, but Ives showed no mercy. When Mr Mahoney tried to retreat behind the counter, Ives followed and resumed the attack.

"Ives has a history of violence and acting on impulse. I welcome today's verdict.

"The fight lasted minutes and was fuelled by alcohol and anger, but that brief period left Mr Mahoney's friends and family bereft. They must now try to move forward with their lives without Ben, and I know I speak for the entire force when I say that our thoughts are with them today."