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| London stabbing: Man admits killing mobility scooter rider Thomas O'Halloran | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Thomas O'Halloran was regarded as a much-loved member of the community | Thomas O'Halloran was regarded as a much-loved member of the community |
| A man has admitted killing an elderly mobility scooter rider in a "motiveless" knife attack five days after being released from prison. | A man has admitted killing an elderly mobility scooter rider in a "motiveless" knife attack five days after being released from prison. |
| Lee Byer, 46, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter by diminished responsibility of Thomas O'Halloran, in Greenford, west London, in August 2022. | Lee Byer, 46, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter by diminished responsibility of Thomas O'Halloran, in Greenford, west London, in August 2022. |
| A group of children, one of whom called 999, tried to help the 87-year-old but he could not be saved. | A group of children, one of whom called 999, tried to help the 87-year-old but he could not be saved. |
| A post-mortem examination found he was stabbed in the neck, chest and abdomen. | A post-mortem examination found he was stabbed in the neck, chest and abdomen. |
| Police believe Mr O'Halloran, who had been playing his accordion near a supermarket, was attacked on 16 August as he passed Byer in an alleyway alongside the A40, out of sight of drivers. | Police believe Mr O'Halloran, who had been playing his accordion near a supermarket, was attacked on 16 August as he passed Byer in an alleyway alongside the A40, out of sight of drivers. |
| Senior officers told the Old Bailey it was a "shocking act of unprovoked violence". | Senior officers told the Old Bailey it was a "shocking act of unprovoked violence". |
| Byer, who has paranoid schizophrenia, was captured on CCTV running off and was arrested. | Byer, who has paranoid schizophrenia, was captured on CCTV running off and was arrested. |
| He had been caught on camera depositing a knife handle in a drain in Haymill Close on the way back to his mother's house. The blade was never found. | He had been caught on camera depositing a knife handle in a drain in Haymill Close on the way back to his mother's house. The blade was never found. |
| Mr O'Halloran was pronounced dead at 16:54 BST on 16 August 2022 | Mr O'Halloran was pronounced dead at 16:54 BST on 16 August 2022 |
| Grandfather Mr O'Halloran was originally from County Clare in western Ireland and had been well known in the local community. | Grandfather Mr O'Halloran was originally from County Clare in western Ireland and had been well known in the local community. |
| He was said to have been a passionate musician and was described as "very popular" in Greenford, often busking for charity. | He was said to have been a passionate musician and was described as "very popular" in Greenford, often busking for charity. |
| It can now be reported that Byer had 15 previous convictions for 30 offences dating back to when he was 14 and days earlier had been released from Wormwood Scrubs. | It can now be reported that Byer had 15 previous convictions for 30 offences dating back to when he was 14 and days earlier had been released from Wormwood Scrubs. |
| In 2011, he was convicted of robbery and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. | In 2011, he was convicted of robbery and was sentenced to 12 years in prison. |
| Byer also admitted having an offensive weapon on the day of Mr O'Halloran's killing. | Byer also admitted having an offensive weapon on the day of Mr O'Halloran's killing. |
| Prosecutor Gareth Patterson KC accepted the pleas after mental health reports found Byer was psychotic, hearing voices, suffering from paranoid delusions and paranoid schizophrenia. | Prosecutor Gareth Patterson KC accepted the pleas after mental health reports found Byer was psychotic, hearing voices, suffering from paranoid delusions and paranoid schizophrenia. |
| He said the defendant's mental state provided an explanation for what was a "motiveless attack". | He said the defendant's mental state provided an explanation for what was a "motiveless attack". |
| Byer, of no fixed address, is currently being held at Broadmoor high security psychiatric hospital and is due to be sentenced on 10 May. | Byer, of no fixed address, is currently being held at Broadmoor high security psychiatric hospital and is due to be sentenced on 10 May. |
| Additional reporting by PA Media. | Additional reporting by PA Media. |
| Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk | Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Greenford | Greenford |
| London violence | London violence |
| London | London |
| Ealing | Ealing |