Emergency Services News
DONATE
No Result
View All Result
  • Police
  • Body-Worn Camera Footage
  • National Crime Agency
  • Police Pursuits
  • Police Dogs In Action
  • Court Results
  • Ambulance
  • Fire Service
  • NHS
  • Assaulted on Duty
  • Must See Videos
  • Guest Blog
  • Hoax Calls
  • Rewards & Discounts
  • About ESN
  • Contact
Emergency Services News
No Result
View All Result

WATCH: Man Jailed After Unprovoked Attack In Trafalgar Square Left One Man Dead

by John Johnson
9 February 2019
in Emergency Services News, Must See Videos
6 min read
1
WATCH: Man Jailed After Unprovoked Attack In Trafalgar Square Left One Man Dead
5
SHARES
227
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Two men who viscioulsy and savagley attacked 51-year-old Desmond O’Beirne in Trafalgar Square have been sentenced for their parts in his death.

Lucas Antunes, 22 (04.02.97) of no fixed address – extradited from the US to face justice – was jailed for three years and nine months at the Old Bailey on Friday, 8 February having previously admitted manslaughter.

Luis Abella, 22 (29.05.96) of Marshall Court, SW4 had previously pleaded guilty to attempting to cause actual bodily harm and was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment suspended for two years.

Desmond, who lived in Pimlico, had been out for the night and fallen asleep on a grass area outside the National Gallery in Trafalgar Square, WC2.

After waking up he then approached several people, including Antunes and Abella who took exception and pursued and attacked him at around 00:25hrs on Saturday, 3 June 2017.

Luis Abella

In the footage (below) another unidentified male can be seen recording Desmond as he lay on the floor.

The London Ambulance Service attended the scene and treated Desmond at before taking him to hospital.

However, he died from his injuries on Wednesday, 20 December 2017.

A post-mortem examination at Westminster Mortuary on 3 January 2018 determined cause of death as a head injury.

Desmond’s death was investigated by the Homicide and Major Crime Command, led by Detective Chief Inspector Noel McHugh.

Abella was originally charged with manslaughter on 15 August 2018 before admitting attempted ABH.

Antunes

Antunes fled to the US after the incident.

Thanks to close liaison with the US authorities, he was traced, detained and extradited back to the UK in September 2018.

He was charged with manslaughter on 27 September.

Desmond O’Beirne

DCI McHugh said: 

“Desmond was a completely harmless individual who had gone out that night for a beer and should have quietly gone back home again.

“However Abella and Antunes delivered a mindless and pointless attack on Desmond, punching him in the back of the head and kicking him while he was on the ground.

“He suffered injuries that would put him in a coma for six months. He never stood a chance.

“The support of the media and the public has been instrumental in gaining justice for Desmond’s family – a witness come forward following our appeals and identified both suspects.

“I am so proud of my detectives for their outstanding work and the US Marshalls who were truly exceptional in securing Antunes’ return from the US and helping ensure he faced justice.

“This case really does show what can be achieved when people come together to help solve crime. I would urge anyone who has information about a crime, who is hesitating to make that call, to see how coming forward can change a family’s life.”

The officers involved in investigating the case were commended for their work by the sentencing Judge.

Desmond’s sister Vivienne Folan said: 

“Desmond was born on 27 August 1966 and grew up in Edgware, Middlesex where he attended St James’ Catholic School. He was a first-rate student, winning ‘Best in Year’ award at college.

“Desmond spent his whole life working in civil engineering and the construction industry and was a highly skilled professional who specialised in ‘steel fixing’. He was well regarded within his profession.

“He was a hardworking, larger than life character, who lived in Pimlico and worked in and around London. He was my only brother. He leaves behind a 19-year-old son who is currently studying at university.

“It was devastating when I was contacted by his friend and told that he had been brutally attacked in Trafalgar Square. It is extremely difficult for me to express the pain I felt when I had to watch CCTV footage of my brother being attacked from behind by two men whilst running away and then being left for dead. Not only that, but Desmond was on his own and relied on the actions of passers-by to raise the alarm with the emergency services.

“When I visited Desmond in hospital, he was unrecognisable to me both visually and physically because of his injuries from the attack. It was so terribly painful for me to see him like this. He was utterly helpless and unable to recognise or communicate with me in his vegetative state. Desmond did not regain full consciousness and we never again had the opportunity to communicate with each other.

“Desmond’s life was needlessly cut short because of a mindless and cowardly attack by two men who showed no remorse and left my brother for dead.

“We, his family, have found the past 18 months extremely difficult in coming to terms with the brutal and senseless attack on Desmond and the pain and suffering he must have endured in the intervening six months prior to his death from his injuries.

“We have taken some comfort from the tireless investigation carried out by the police officers involved in bringing these two men to justice.

“The officers have been outstanding, from a CCTV image they have pulled out all the stops. There has been exceptional support from the media and public leading to the arrests and justice.

“This is what can be achieved when we all come together; the police cannot do it all on their own, they need our support.”

A great example of @metpoliceuk working with @USMarshalsHQ | @USAmbUK | @USAinUK | @USAinUKpress in order to bring a violent male to justice @NCA_LynneOwens / @NCA_UK / @MattTwistMPS https://t.co/WUv2j80HHE

— Emergency Services News (@ES_News_) February 9, 2019

If you have a story, video or one-off blog that you would like to share with us, then you can contact our team of former emergency services & armed forces personnel either through our Facebook page, via Twitter ( @ES_News_ ) or you can contact us via email: contact@emergency-services.news

If you run or manage a ‘job’ social media account and you would like us to share one of your stories then send us a tweet or a message! 

If you would like to write an article that you would like us to share (it can be about anything to do with the emergency services / NHS) whether you serve in the emergency services / NHS or whether you are a member of the public who has had a good experience with the emergency services, then feel free to contact our team; anonymously if you prefer.  

We are proud to act as a voice for the emergency services, armed forces & health service, with over 500,000 people visiting our website each month.

Before you go...

We need your help. As former emergency services & armed forces personnel, we pride ourselves on bringing you important, fast-moving and breaking news stories which are free from the negative bias which is often directed at the emergency services by some sections of the mainstream media.

One of the reasons we started 'Emergency Services News' was because we became tired of reading badly informed stories about the emergency services which seemed only ever to highlight negative aspects of the job.

We want to be the unheard voice of the remarkable men and women who serve in the emergency services, NHS and armed forces. And with around 500k page views each month, we are getting there!

As income from ads, the mainstay source of income for most publishers, continues to decline; we need the help of our readers.

And remember, if you have a service, product or job vacancy that you would like to promote to our large readership, then you can buy advertising space in our articles.

You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.

Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.

SUPPORT EMERGENCY SERVICES NEWS
Share2Tweet1

Related Posts

WATCH | Curious Dog Almost Forces HEMs Pilot To Abort Takeoff
Must See Videos

WATCH | Curious Dog Almost Forces HEMs Pilot To Abort Takeoff

Suspected Drug Dealer Charged With GBH After Police Officer Is Dragged By Fleeing Vehicle
Emergency Services News

Suspected Drug Dealer Charged With GBH After Police Officer Is Dragged By Fleeing Vehicle

Tributes Paid To 40-Year-Old Police Officer Who Has Died After Losing His Battle With Covid
Emergency Services News

Tributes Paid To 40-Year-Old Police Officer Who Has Died After Losing His Battle With Covid

Jail For The Male Who Beat A&E Nurse Unconscious As She Worked A Busy Nightshift
Emergency Services News

Jail For The Male Who Beat A&E Nurse Unconscious As She Worked A Busy Nightshift

Police Launch Investigation Into Death Of Baby Boy Found In Garden
Emergency Services News

Boy, 14, Arrested On Suspicion Of Murder After Teenager Killed In Birmingham

Tributes Paid To 37-Year-Old Met TSG Officer Who Died After Testing Positive For COVID
Emergency Services News

Tributes Paid To 37-Year-Old Met TSG Officer Who Died After Testing Positive For COVID

Load More

Comments 1

  1. Avatar martin thornton says:
    2 years ago

    scum
    i would love to have them in a locked room and beat the shit out of them
    i work as a minder some years back and have come across cowards like this before .
    i hate bullies that cant back it up man to man

    martin thornton
    coventry
    .

    Reply

Let us know what you think in the comments below Cancel reply

  • Police
  • Body-Worn Camera Footage
  • National Crime Agency
  • Police Pursuits
  • Police Dogs In Action
  • Court Results
  • Ambulance
  • Fire Service
  • NHS
  • Assaulted on Duty
  • Must See Videos
  • Guest Blog
  • Hoax Calls
  • Rewards & Discounts
  • About ESN
  • Contact
© Emergency Services News
No Result
View All Result
  • Police
  • Body-Worn Camera Footage
  • National Crime Agency
  • Police Pursuits
  • Police Dogs In Action
  • Court Results
  • Ambulance
  • Fire Service
  • NHS
  • Assaulted on Duty
  • Must See Videos
  • Guest Blog
  • Hoax Calls
  • Rewards & Discounts
  • About ESN
  • Contact