Leon Elcock and Hamza Lyazi jailed for killing of Ekram Haque in London, England

Today at the Old Bailey, two youths have been jailed for a total of eight years for the manslaughter of an elderly man following an indiscriminate spree of violence against vulnerable people.

They assaulted two other men before attacking 67-year-old Ekram Haque whilst his three-year-old granddaughter watched.

16-year-old Leon Elcock, [A] of Osborne Terrace, SW17; and 15-year-old Hamza Lyazi, [D] of Franciscan Road, SW17 pleaded guilty to manslaughter on 16 June.

Today Elcock was jailed for four and a half years and Lyazi was jailed for three and a half years.

A third youth [E], aged 15 years, pleaded guilty to charges of assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH) and attempted ABH in relation to this incident. He was given a six month detention and training order.

At approx 21:50hrs on 31 August 2009, Mr. Haque was attacked in Church Lane SW17. He had been visiting the nearby mosque when he was assaulted by the youths. He was punched in the head rendering him unconscious and he fell to the ground.

The attackers had also assaulted a man in his 70s, whom they knocked unconscious, and a man in his 40s only minutes before.

Both men survived the violent attacks, but were left with head injuries that needed medical treatment. All of the assaults left the community in distress wondering how they could protect themselves and their loved ones from these random and violent attacks.

Several youths were arrested on 2 September 2009 after being identified from CCTV. They had only recently been arrested after attacking an Asian couple at their home on 26 August.

Officers seized their mobile phones and found evidence of other incidents where the youths would film themselves hitting innocent people. They would shout out "Lane Gang Productions" and were then seen to run off jeering and laughing. All of the victims were from the local community and were vulnerable, whether infirm or not in a position to defend themselves.

After the attack, Mr. Haque was able to sit up briefly after his head had been violently punched, causing him to lose consciousness and fall on the pavement resulting in irreparable damage. He was admitted to hospital and his condition continued to deteriorate. Sadly, he died on 7 September 2009 at St George’s Hospital.

Mr. Haque was a retired care worker who previously worked in a local home for the disabled, and lived locally. His three-year-old granddaughter was unhurt during the incident.

A post-mortem examination gave cause of death as impact to the skull.

Detective Chief Inspector John McFarlane from the MPS’s Homicide and Serious Crime Command said:

"These cowardly youths had carried out an indiscriminate spree of violence that defies belief. Their victims were the elderly and infirm or they were people who were attacked from behind with no warning.

"A number of these motiveless assaults were callously filmed by the teenagers on their mobile phones. These have been inappropriately deemed ‘Happy Slapping’. This is not a term that I recognise – it is violence for the sake of violence and is a criminal act which will always be prosecuted.

"It is tragic and abhorrent that Ekram Haque, who had just left a place of worship, died in this way, injured so horribly in front of his three-year-old granddaughter in such a pointless and violent attack. I only hold contempt and disgust for their actions and hope that their victims can now feel a sense of justice."

The defendants were sentenced as follows:

[A] Leon Elcock, aged 16 (12.3.94) was jailed for four and a half years for

= the manslaughter of Ekram Haque on 31 August in Church Lane SW17.

= Two counts of ABH on 31 August in Church Lane SW17 on men aged in their 40s and 70s.

= attempted ABH on two pensioners (man and woman) on 26 August in the Tooting area.

[D] Hamza Lyazi, aged 15, (5.10.94) was jailed for three and a half years for

= the manslaughter of Ekram Haque on 31 August in Church Lane SW17.

= Two counts of ABH on 31 August in Church Lane SW17 on men aged in their 40s and 70s.

He pleaded not guilty to the attempted ABH on two pensioners (man and woman) on 26 August in the Tooting area. This plea was accepted by the court.

[E] A 15-year-old youth was given a six month detention and training order for

= Two counts of ABH on 31 August in Church Lane SW17 on men aged in their 40s and 70s.

= attempted ABH on two pensioners (man and woman) on 26 August in the Tooting area.

He pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Ekram Haque on 31 August in Church Lane SW17. This plea was accepted by the court.