An Ottawa man is heading to jail with an automatic life sentence in the 2005 beating death of a young man celebrating his birthday.

A jury found 50-year-old Charlie Manasseri guilty of second-degree murder Wednesday in the New Year's Day death of 22-year-old Brian Fudge.

The Crown prosecutor said Fudge's head was slammed into stainless steel bars "ten or 20 times" at the former Le Skratch bar on Merivale Road.

George Kenny, 26, was also found guilty of two counts of assault causing bodily harm for beating Fudge and one of his friends.

Brian's father Derek Fudge said his family can now be at peace and remember their wonderful, happy-go-lucky son.

Fudge had just completed a two-year college program and hoped to be a police officer.