Illegal immigrant tried to have himself deported after killing handyman in front of horrified schoolchildren

Guilty: Mohamed Abdillahi
Met Police
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An illegal immigrant who tried to have himself deported less than 24 hours after killing a handyman in front of horrified schoolchildren is facing years behind bars today.

Mohamed Abdillahi, 25, was allegedly part of a gang of men who attacked and killed Augustus Fenton, 27, stabbing him and beating him with a baseball bat just as pupils from Featherstone High School, in Southall, were finishing for the day.

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC told the Old Bailey the men “acted like wild animals” in the March 28 attack, unconcerned that members of the public and schoolchildren were watching the violence unfold.

Somalian-born Abdillahi had been in the UK illegally for four years but handed himself in the Home Office a day after the killing, saying he wanted to be deported “as soon as possible”.

He was detained and put on trial over the killing, and put his head in his hands this afternoon as a jury convicted him of the manslaughter of Mr Fenton.

Mr Fenton was stabbed and beaten with baseball bats
Met Police

Judge Anthony Leonard QC remanded Abdillahi, a convicted heroin dealer, in custody until a sentencing hearing on Thursday.

Prosecutor Oliver Glasgow QC told the court the victim’s family have been left “paralysed” by the loss of Mr Fenton, who had just set up his own handyman business called Fix It Fenton.

He said Mr Fenton’s mother, Karen Benjamin, said in a victim impact statement: “The family unit is broken, the quietness and emptiness around the family home is painful and agonisingly hard to comprehend.

“Augustus Fenton’s fun loving nature, boundless energy, sense of fun, mischievousness and pranks are deeply missed.”

He said: “The family feels robbed of so much unfilled promise and plans – as a family they are at a loss completely, their lives have been turned upside down and will never be the same again.”

Augustus’s older brother Elijah, who tried in vain to stop the attack, said he had “lost my best friend”, adding: “Losing him in these circumstances is hard to deal with”.

Fiancée Toni Rogers said in her impact statement that they had plans to move in together and get married, but this has been “snatched away for no reason”.

“I have not only lost the love of my life but I have lost my best friend”, she said.

The court heard Abdillahi was served with deportation papers in 2013 but stayed in the UK illegally, dodging immigration services until the attack on Mr Fenton.

“The day after Augustus Fenton was stabbed, this defendant suddenly made contact with the immigration authorities and requested voluntary repatriation to Somali, explaining he wanted to go back as soon as possible”, said Mr Glasgow.

Mr Fenton was initially attacked by five unarmed men but managed to escape and call his brother for help.

But before Elijah, 31, reached the scene, three of the group including Abdillahi returned armed with baseball bats and knives.

Elijah was stabbed in his hand, suffering permanent damage, as he tried to stop the attack, but it was too late to save his brother who died in hospital the following day.

“Whatever the reason for this shocking incident, the young men involved did not care it was the middle of the afternoon and much of what happened took place in full view of horrified members of the public including children on the way home from school”, said Mr Glasgow.

“For no obvious reason the defendant and his friends acted like wild animals. Their pack mentality saw them chase the victim, attack him with weapons, and then turn on his rescuer.”

Abdillahi, of no fixed address, admitted being part of the group of assailants, but claimed he did not attack Mr Fenton and only lashed out at Elijah in self-defence.

The jury deliberated for more than 16 hours before convicting him of manslaughter and wounding with intent. He had already admitted violent disorder.

The jury failed to reach a verdict on a charge of murder.

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