A robber who fatally attacked a much-loved 87-year-old pensioner before running off with the man’s shopping has been jailed for 23 years.
Peter Augustine kicked, punched and stamped on frail John Mackey after the elderly man had visited a Co-op store and takeaway shop in Manor House, London on May 6.
The homeless 59-year-old then took off with Mr Mackay’s bag, which contained a box of cornflakes, a cottage pie, a pint of milk, a copy of the Mirror and some takeaway sausage and chips.
Irishman Mr Mackey was taken to hospital for bleeding on the brain and broken ribs, and died from his injuries two days later.
Augustine was found guilty of murder and robbery at the Old Bailey earlier this month. He was also convicted of a theft charge that was dealt with at a magistrates’ court.
On Friday he was sentenced at the Old Bailey to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years.
Augustine did not attend his sentencing, claiming he had back pain.
Handing out her ruling, which was broadcast live from the court, Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC said Augustine attacked ‘gentle, innocent’ Mr Mackey ‘for a box of cornflakes, a pint of milk and a saveloy sausage’,
She added that she has ‘no doubt that if this defendant was genuinely starving and had asked Mr Mackey for help, this kind, generous gentleman would have’ assisted him.
The judge said she believes Augustine ‘targeted him specifically because he was frail’, calling it a ‘cowardly act’ and adding he had ‘shown no remorse’.
Mr Mackey’s niece, Patricia Schan, described her ‘perfect uncle’ as ‘funny, charming, mysterious, and very definitely mischievous’, and went on to criticise Augustine’s behaviour during the trial.
Arsenal Football Club fan Mr Mackey had lived in London for around 70 years and ‘always had a twinkle in his eye and dressed immaculately in one of his trilby hats’, Ms Schan told the court.
Latest London news
- London’s new luxury neighbourhoods where house prices have reached £1,000,000
- There’s a capsule missing from the London Eye – here’s why
- Here’s how much more drivers will pay for the London congestion charge next year
To get the latest news from the capital visit Metro’s London news hub.
The ‘proud Irishman’ was a ‘well-known, popular and respected member of the community… but he was still remembered in his home town – as shown by the number of people at his funeral’, she said.
Ms Schan added: ‘The defendant’s behaviour showed complete disdain, disrespect and disregard for the family throughout the trial and caused even further distress from what was already an extremely traumatic experience.’
She said that during the trial ‘he was constantly turning around and looking at us and shouting at us – and frankly terrifying us – from the witness box, which was just a few metres away’.
Mr Mackey had set off from his address shortly after 5pm carrying a walking stick and a black bag.
At 5.12pm, he went into the Co-op where he bought cornflakes, a cottage pie, a pint of milk and a Mirror newspaper, all of which he put in his bag.
He paid for the shopping using a £20 note and put the change of £11.50 in his trouser pocket.
Eighteen minutes later, Augustine began to follow the pensioner.
Mr Mackey went into Manor Kebab at 5.36pm and bought sausage and chips as the defendant loitered outside, the trial was told.
The victim was last seen on camera at 5.50pm and Augustine reappeared on CCTV three minutes later carrying what looked like the victim’s bag, jurors heard.
Passers-by reported seeing Augustine attacking Mr Mackey and searching his jacket as he lay on the ground.
Another member of the public alerted police after she heard a shout of ‘give me the bag’ and saw Mr Mackey lying unresponsive on the pavement, the court was told.
Mr Mackey, who was bleeding from his head, regained consciousness but was unable to tell officers what had happened before he died.
Police pieced together events from CCTV footage but the attack itself was not caught on camera, prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff KC said.
A search of the defendant’s room uncovered what was left of Mr Mackey’s groceries and wrapping from the cottage pie, and sausage and chips.
Augustine was arrested two days after the assault but showed no remorse for his actions while in custody, making a series of threats, acting violently and throwing a hot coffee at an officer, the Metropolitan Police said previously.
Ms Bickerstaff told jurors Mr Mackey was 5ft 5in and weighed less than nine stone.
She said Augustine was living in ‘reduced circumstances’ and was effectively homeless.
Paying tribute, Ms Schan said her uncle was an ally and friend to his 22 nieces and nephews, ‘taking us to see his beloved Arsenal and introducing some of us to pubs around Manor House. He would never fail to slip a fiver to you whispering “don’t tell your mum and dad”.
‘He was never happier than when he was with his 10 brothers and sisters – telling stories with lots of laughter always.
‘He will always be remembered with love and a smile.’
Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@metro.co.uk.
For more stories like this, check our news page.