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16/06/2006
Pair jailed for life for barman's murder
Two men have been jailed for life today at the Old Bailey, after they pleaded guilty to the homophobic murder of gay barman Jody Dobrowski.
Thomas Pickford, 26, unemployed and Scott Walker, 33, a decorator, both of no fixed address, admitted murdering the 24-year-old assistant bar manager, at an earlier appearance, after previously denying the charge.
Mr Dobrowski was severely beaten as he walked across Clapham Common in south London on October 15. He died later in hospital.
A post-mortem revealed that the cause of death was severe head, neck and facial injuries.
Mr Dobrowski was so severely beaten that he had to be identified from fingerprints.
The prosecution described the attack as a "premeditated plan to attack a gay man."
Sentencing the pair, Judge Brian Barker said: "It was Jody's tragic misfortune to cross you path. You subjected him to mindless abuse and showed him no mercy. In those few seconds you took from him the most precious possessions - his life and future."
He sentenced the pair to to life and told them that they would serve a minimum of 28 years in jail.
Mr Dobrowski's family welcomed the outcome of the trial. They said that the murder had been as a result of the "consequences of homophobia which was endemic in this society."
They said this was "unnacceptable" in an "intelligent, healthy or reasonable society."
(SP/GB)
Thomas Pickford, 26, unemployed and Scott Walker, 33, a decorator, both of no fixed address, admitted murdering the 24-year-old assistant bar manager, at an earlier appearance, after previously denying the charge.
Mr Dobrowski was severely beaten as he walked across Clapham Common in south London on October 15. He died later in hospital.
A post-mortem revealed that the cause of death was severe head, neck and facial injuries.
Mr Dobrowski was so severely beaten that he had to be identified from fingerprints.
The prosecution described the attack as a "premeditated plan to attack a gay man."
Sentencing the pair, Judge Brian Barker said: "It was Jody's tragic misfortune to cross you path. You subjected him to mindless abuse and showed him no mercy. In those few seconds you took from him the most precious possessions - his life and future."
He sentenced the pair to to life and told them that they would serve a minimum of 28 years in jail.
Mr Dobrowski's family welcomed the outcome of the trial. They said that the murder had been as a result of the "consequences of homophobia which was endemic in this society."
They said this was "unnacceptable" in an "intelligent, healthy or reasonable society."
(SP/GB)
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