Indian-origin man convicted of murder in UK spitting row

hindustan times said :Gurjeet Singh Lall, who stabbed to death a man during a row over Lall’s spitting on the street in Southall, was convicted of manslaughter on Monday and is due to be sentenced on December 14.

Lall, 36, stabbed 69-year-old ex-rugby player and builder Allan Isichei several times after a brief verbal row over Lall’s spitting on the street on August 24 last year.

Recalling the incident, Scotland Yard said that Isichei went to a pub before 6 pm on the day, and left around 6.30 pm. Moments later he encountered Lall as he walked towards his home on St Mary’s Avenue South.

Lall was leaning against a wall and the two had a brief verbal disagreement over Lall’s spitting in the street. Words were exchanged and as Isichei walked away, Lall spat on the ground again, at which point Isichei turned. More words were exchanged.

Lall produced a knife and used it to stab Isichei in a struggle in which the latter managed to disarm him. Apparently not realising how badly he was injured, Isichei got up and walked down the street before stopping. He then staggered to a neighbour’s address and rang the doorbell, pleading for help.

Police and paramedics treated him at the scene before being placed in an ambulance that was forced to stop shortly after it left as his condition deteriorated; he was pronounced dead around 8pm.

The police traced Lall to his home address after following a blood trail from injuries he sustained in the incident. A post-mortem found that Isichei had suffered multiple knife injuries. A cause of death was given as an incised wound to the abdomen.

During police interview, Lall claimed in a prepared statement that he had been acting in self-defence. Following a review of Lall’s mental health, he was deemed fit to stand trial and he was subsequently convicted of manslaughter by the Inner London Crown Court.

Detective inspector Jamie Stevenson said: “It beggars belief that a man could go to his local pub for a quick drink on a Saturday evening and not return home, but that is the terrible reality that Allan’s family have been left with.”

“Allan was a creative and constructive man, living a full and active life through his sport and music. His loss is immeasurable, and is of course most felt by his loving family, who still grieve for him and will do so for a very long time to come”.

“There was no good reason for Lall to have had a knife in his possession that day, and no good reason for him to use it. I am glad that he has been convicted and the jury rejected his claim that he was acting in self-defence.”