LELYSTAD, NETHERLANDS (AFP) - A Dutch court on Monday jailed six teenage boys and a father for up to six years, for the brutal beating to death of an amateur football linesman last year.

"The seven suspects are guilty of beating the linesman's head and upper body," said judge Anja van Holten of the killing of Richard Nieuwenhuizen, 41.

The seven young suspects, aged 15 to 17 at the time, and the 51-year-old adult were charged with manslaughter, public violence and brutality.

"The court decides that none of the suspects had the intention of killing the linesman," the judge said.

The only adult was jailed for six years, while five of the teenagers were sent to youth detention units for the maximum of two years, six months suspended.

A sixth convict, aged 15, was sent to a youth detention unit for a year with two months suspended.

"The conclusion is that the violence the suspects committed is the reason for Nieuwenhuizen's death," the judge said after an expert had said the death could be blamed on a genetic anomaly.