It is unlikely the yobs who threw stones at the home of 84-year-old widow Joyce Moulson intended to cause her serious harm.

But their actions would seem to have, either directly or indirectly, led to her death, and they will have to live with that heavy burden for the rest of their lives.

And so they should.

There will be those who say this was nothing more than petty vandalism, or high-jinks that went too far.

That lets these yobs off the hook too easily. Neighbours say Mrs Moulson had been subjected to a campaign of terror for weeks, with youths banging on her doors and windows, and those responsible must have known she was an elderly lady.

The behaviour of these hooligans is inexcusable and indefensible. They may not have set out to kill or cause injury, but they certainly did not give any thought to the impact of their actions on their victim.

Parents should force their children to read the story of Mrs Moulson to make them realise where this sort of malicious behaviour can lead.

The police and Crown Prosecution Service must push for the strongest possible charges once these young yobs are caught so an example can be set to all those who think this sort of anti-social behaviour is fun and exciting.

It is not. It is vicious, cruel and savage, and in this case, it has had devastating consequences for Mrs Moulson and her family and friends.

Those responsible must now themselves face their own consequences as a result of the damage they have inflicted.