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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
|---|---|
| Man admits store arson killings | Man admits store arson killings |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| A 33-year-old man has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to the manslaughter of two people in an arson attack. | |
| Robert Torto, from Stockwell, south London, set fire to the Pricecutter Food and Wine shop in April 2006. | Robert Torto, from Stockwell, south London, set fire to the Pricecutter Food and Wine shop in April 2006. |
| Khizer Hayat died inside the Kennington store and his colleague, Hamidullah Hamidi died six days later. Two staff escaped with minor injuries. | Khizer Hayat died inside the Kennington store and his colleague, Hamidullah Hamidi died six days later. Two staff escaped with minor injuries. |
| Torto, who was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, was ordered to be held indefinitely in a secure hospital. | Torto, who was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia, was ordered to be held indefinitely in a secure hospital. |
| He also admitted one count of arson, but two further charges of arson relating to earlier attacks on a newsagents and an off-licence, both in south London, was allowed to lie on file. | He also admitted one count of arson, but two further charges of arson relating to earlier attacks on a newsagents and an off-licence, both in south London, was allowed to lie on file. |
| 'Delusional beliefs' | 'Delusional beliefs' |
| Recorder of London, Judge Peter Beaumont, said the "terrible acts" brought "terror to the streets". | Recorder of London, Judge Peter Beaumont, said the "terrible acts" brought "terror to the streets". |
| Edward Brown, prosecuting, said the attacks were religiously motivated. | Edward Brown, prosecuting, said the attacks were religiously motivated. |
| "The only possible explanation is that in his deluded state he was putting into action his belief that those of other religions should be killed." | "The only possible explanation is that in his deluded state he was putting into action his belief that those of other religions should be killed." |
| Two men died as a result of the fire | Two men died as a result of the fire |
| The court heard Torto was sent to a psychiatric hospital in 2001 but was released just two months later. | The court heard Torto was sent to a psychiatric hospital in 2001 but was released just two months later. |
| CCTV footage caught a man, identified later as Torto, setting a bottle filled with petrol on fire and throwing it into the shop, which resulted in the deaths of Mr Hayat, 37, and Mr Hamidi, 31. | CCTV footage caught a man, identified later as Torto, setting a bottle filled with petrol on fire and throwing it into the shop, which resulted in the deaths of Mr Hayat, 37, and Mr Hamidi, 31. |
| The victims were trapped in a storeroom. | The victims were trapped in a storeroom. |
| The first arson attack occurred on 14 April last year when a newsagents at Tulse Hill in south London was targeted. One customer suffered serious burns on both legs in that incident. | The first arson attack occurred on 14 April last year when a newsagents at Tulse Hill in south London was targeted. One customer suffered serious burns on both legs in that incident. |
| The second attack, which resulted in the fatalities, took place on 27 April, the court heard. | The second attack, which resulted in the fatalities, took place on 27 April, the court heard. |
| Recorder of London, Judge Peter Beaumont, said: "They were terrible acts. | Recorder of London, Judge Peter Beaumont, said: "They were terrible acts. |
| "They amount to repeated firebomb attacks using petrol as an accelerant targeting premises and people within them, which you selected as a result of your delusional beliefs." | "They amount to repeated firebomb attacks using petrol as an accelerant targeting premises and people within them, which you selected as a result of your delusional beliefs." |