Man jailed for Bromley Halloween pub row killing

Richard Price Richard Price had refused to buy a man a drink

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A man who carried out a fatal attack on a hospital worker in south-east London has been jailed for eight years.

Father-of-two Jagtar Johal, 37, knocked Richard Price to the ground with a glass or bottle before kicking and stamping on him, the Old Bailey heard.

Jurors were told Johal celebrated as if he had scored a goal after the attack in Bromley on Halloween last year.

Johal, of Bromley, was cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter earlier this year.

'Viciously' struck

Mr Price, 23, who worked at Great Ormond Street Hospital, died three days after the attack in Bromley town centre on 31 October.

Start Quote

You all left together, according to one witness, celebrating, as if you had just scored a goal”

End Quote Judge Peter Thornton

He was killed after refusing to buy Murat Karabeyaz a drink in the Swan and Mitre pub.

Mr Karabeyaz, 25, of Catford, south London, was also acquitted of murder but faces a retrial after jurors were unable to decide on the charge of manslaughter.

Param-Jit Theara, 25, of Eltham, south-east London, and Michael Liddell, 20, of Ealing, west London, were cleared of all charges.

Judge Peter Thornton told Johal: "You struck him viciously over the back of the head with a glass or bottle. You kicked him and stamped on his head.

"You all left together, according to one witness, celebrating, as if you had just scored a goal.

"There was evidence that as part of the celebration you, Johal, shouted 'Come on'. You even returned later for your keys which you had dropped in the alley, and still did not help him."

He added that Mr Price may have struck the first blow during the row but it was an "uneven contest", which ended with the victim sustaining fatal injuries in the "fast-moving, frightening incident".

During the trial Jonathan Rees QC, prosecuting, said some witnesses said the group behaved "like a pack of animals".

Johal had previous convictions for violent disorder, affray, actual bodily harm and robbery, the court heard.

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