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| Man guilty of murdering train passenger with horseshoe in Reading | |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| Thomas Parker and his brother became involved in an argument about music being played on the train | Thomas Parker and his brother became involved in an argument about music being played on the train |
| A man who killed a fellow passenger with a horseshoe after a row about music being played on their train has been found guilty of murder. | A man who killed a fellow passenger with a horseshoe after a row about music being played on their train has been found guilty of murder. |
| Kirkpatrick Virgo attacked Thomas Parker, 24, on a platform at Reading station after the journey on 30 July. | Kirkpatrick Virgo attacked Thomas Parker, 24, on a platform at Reading station after the journey on 30 July. |
| It followed an argument between the pair after one of Virgo's friends was told to turn the music down. | |
| Virgo, 42, from Slough, had previously admitted manslaughter and carrying an offensive weapon but denied murder. | Virgo, 42, from Slough, had previously admitted manslaughter and carrying an offensive weapon but denied murder. |
| Kirkpatrick Virgo told Reading Crown Court he bought the horseshoe as a "lucky charm" | Kirkpatrick Virgo told Reading Crown Court he bought the horseshoe as a "lucky charm" |
| During a trial at Reading Crown Court, the jury heard the row started at about 23:00 GMT when Mr Parker's brother Craig, 27, asked for the volume of the music to be lower. | |
| The two groups shouted at each other before the altercation was ended by off-duty police officers. | |
| Virgo then followed the Parker brothers after the train arrived at Reading station, the jury was told. | Virgo then followed the Parker brothers after the train arrived at Reading station, the jury was told. |
| Craig Parker told the court he went to be sick behind a pillar after feeling ill from a McDonald's milkshake he had consumed during the journey. | Craig Parker told the court he went to be sick behind a pillar after feeling ill from a McDonald's milkshake he had consumed during the journey. |
| "Once I vomited I felt Tom looking over me, making sure I was all right," he said, adding: "Then it happened, so quickly, Tom was on the floor in front of me." | "Once I vomited I felt Tom looking over me, making sure I was all right," he said, adding: "Then it happened, so quickly, Tom was on the floor in front of me." |
| Virgo followed the group before removing the heavy metal horseshoe from his rucksack | |
| The court heard Virgo had followed the group, removing a heavy metallic horseshoe from his rucksack, which he then used to hit Thomas Parker in the head. | The court heard Virgo had followed the group, removing a heavy metallic horseshoe from his rucksack, which he then used to hit Thomas Parker in the head. |
| Virgo, who claimed he acted because he thought he was about to be attacked, told jurors he bought the horseshoe as a "lucky charm" from an antiques shop and was carrying it because he had not got around to hanging it on a door. | Virgo, who claimed he acted because he thought he was about to be attacked, told jurors he bought the horseshoe as a "lucky charm" from an antiques shop and was carrying it because he had not got around to hanging it on a door. |
| Mr Parker, a golf greenkeeper, was pronounced dead at the scene. | Mr Parker, a golf greenkeeper, was pronounced dead at the scene. |
| Described by his family as "loving and funny", British Transport Police (BTP) said he had been on his way home from a match between Arsenal and Sevilla at the Emirates Stadium. | Described by his family as "loving and funny", British Transport Police (BTP) said he had been on his way home from a match between Arsenal and Sevilla at the Emirates Stadium. |
| 'Die tonight' | |
| CCTV footage showed Virgo and two friends boarding the same train at Slough carrying a boom box and accounts taken from witnesses stated they were playing loud music, the force said in a statement. | |
| During the argument, passengers heard Virgo remark: "Do you want to die tonight?" | During the argument, passengers heard Virgo remark: "Do you want to die tonight?" |
| Following the attack, Craig Parker chased Virgo through the station, catching him on the concourse and tackling him to the floor before rail staff intervened and alerted emergency services. | Following the attack, Craig Parker chased Virgo through the station, catching him on the concourse and tackling him to the floor before rail staff intervened and alerted emergency services. |
| Speaking after the verdict, Det Ch Insp Paul Langley, from BTP, said Mr Parker was a young man with his whole life ahead of him. | |
| "But that life was taken away by an extremely violent individual who fatally struck him following a disagreement," he said. | "But that life was taken away by an extremely violent individual who fatally struck him following a disagreement," he said. |
| "Thanks to a single shocking act of violence by Kirkpatrick Virgo, Tom's family now face the rest of their lives without their brother, son and friend." | "Thanks to a single shocking act of violence by Kirkpatrick Virgo, Tom's family now face the rest of their lives without their brother, son and friend." |
| Virgo will be sentenced at the same court on Friday. | Virgo will be sentenced at the same court on Friday. |
| Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC South on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Reading | Reading |
| Slough | Slough |