29/11/2007
Tagged Early Release Criminal Killed Victim
A convicted criminal who was released early and ordered to wear an electronic tag killed a woman in her own home while tagged as he was undertaking a burglary at the victim's home.
Lloyd Edwards, 19, has now been convicted at Kingston Crown Court of murdering Laila Rezk, 51, who was found dying at her home in Kingston Vale in 2006.
Edwards, of south-west London, admitted manslaughter but had denied murder and has now been jailed for a minimum of 18 years.
The court was told that Edwards was issued with a tag when he was released early from an 18-month Detention and Training Order, even though he had a string of previous convictions and had been in trouble with police since the age of 10.
It also transpired that Edwards carried out a raid on yet another house just two weeks after leaving Mrs Rezk for dead.
He was fitted with an electronic tag and on a curfew but after drinking all day on November 29 last year, he entered Mrs Rezk's home as she prepared a family dinner and launched a violent attack when she screamed.
She was left with severe brain damage and her injuries suggested she had been punched a number of times and her head smashed against a wall.
She was still breathing when daughter Dina - a PhD student at Girton College, Cambridge - who was then 22, and son Tamer, a medical student aged 20, walked in through the open doorway.
The court heard her daughter "could not recognise her mother's face" because of her injuries, which were so severe that paramedics thought a weapon must have been used.
She was taken to hospital but had fallen into a coma from which she never recovered.
A single thumbprint on a bent front door key on a bunch recovered from a lock at the home matched that of Edwards from Roehampton, south west London.
He later told police he pulled his sleeves over his hands when he went around the house.
He denied unlocking the door with the key but officers believe that in his agitation, his jumper slipped from his hands, leaving the print on the key.
The Judge, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith, said Mrs Rezk's screams resulted in Edwards losing his temper and launching a "ferocious attack".
He said: "I accept that you didn't intend to kill Mrs Rezk and didn't intend when you went into the house to cause anyone really serious injury.
"But when Mrs Rezk resisted, you clearly lost your temper and formed the intention which resulted in you assaulting her so seriously she died," he said.
(BMcC/JM)
Lloyd Edwards, 19, has now been convicted at Kingston Crown Court of murdering Laila Rezk, 51, who was found dying at her home in Kingston Vale in 2006.
Edwards, of south-west London, admitted manslaughter but had denied murder and has now been jailed for a minimum of 18 years.
The court was told that Edwards was issued with a tag when he was released early from an 18-month Detention and Training Order, even though he had a string of previous convictions and had been in trouble with police since the age of 10.
It also transpired that Edwards carried out a raid on yet another house just two weeks after leaving Mrs Rezk for dead.
He was fitted with an electronic tag and on a curfew but after drinking all day on November 29 last year, he entered Mrs Rezk's home as she prepared a family dinner and launched a violent attack when she screamed.
She was left with severe brain damage and her injuries suggested she had been punched a number of times and her head smashed against a wall.
She was still breathing when daughter Dina - a PhD student at Girton College, Cambridge - who was then 22, and son Tamer, a medical student aged 20, walked in through the open doorway.
The court heard her daughter "could not recognise her mother's face" because of her injuries, which were so severe that paramedics thought a weapon must have been used.
She was taken to hospital but had fallen into a coma from which she never recovered.
A single thumbprint on a bent front door key on a bunch recovered from a lock at the home matched that of Edwards from Roehampton, south west London.
He later told police he pulled his sleeves over his hands when he went around the house.
He denied unlocking the door with the key but officers believe that in his agitation, his jumper slipped from his hands, leaving the print on the key.
The Judge, Mr Justice Calvert-Smith, said Mrs Rezk's screams resulted in Edwards losing his temper and launching a "ferocious attack".
He said: "I accept that you didn't intend to kill Mrs Rezk and didn't intend when you went into the house to cause anyone really serious injury.
"But when Mrs Rezk resisted, you clearly lost your temper and formed the intention which resulted in you assaulting her so seriously she died," he said.
(BMcC/JM)
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08 March 2007
Man in court over Laila Rezk murder
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 51-year-old mother-of-two Laila Rezk. Lloyd Edwards, 18, from Roehampton, southwest London was remanded in custody Kingston Magistrates' Court on Thursday. He is next due to appear at the Old Bailey on March 19.
Man in court over Laila Rezk murder
A man has appeared in court charged with the murder of 51-year-old mother-of-two Laila Rezk. Lloyd Edwards, 18, from Roehampton, southwest London was remanded in custody Kingston Magistrates' Court on Thursday. He is next due to appear at the Old Bailey on March 19.
11 October 2012
Number Of Tourists To UK Falls
New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that despite the Olympics the number of visitors to the UK fell in August, but the amount they spent rose. Overseas residents made three million visits to the UK in the month, down 5% from August 2011, according to the ONS.
Number Of Tourists To UK Falls
New figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show that despite the Olympics the number of visitors to the UK fell in August, but the amount they spent rose. Overseas residents made three million visits to the UK in the month, down 5% from August 2011, according to the ONS.
04 October 2010
Nobel Prize Win For British IVF Pioneer
This year's Nobel prize for medicine has been awarded to British Scientist Robert Edwards, the man who devised IVF fertility treatment. On 25 July 1978, his revolutionary work led to the birth of the world's first "test tube baby". Since then almost four million babies have been born using the in vitro fertilisation method.
Nobel Prize Win For British IVF Pioneer
This year's Nobel prize for medicine has been awarded to British Scientist Robert Edwards, the man who devised IVF fertility treatment. On 25 July 1978, his revolutionary work led to the birth of the world's first "test tube baby". Since then almost four million babies have been born using the in vitro fertilisation method.
07 March 2007
Man arrested over Lalia Rezk murder
Police investigating the murder of mother-of-two Laila Rezk last year have arrested a man. Mrs Rezk, 51, was murdered shortly after returning to her home in Putney in south London last November. Her daughter found her, lying in her home suffering from severe head injuries, and she died later in hospital.
Man arrested over Lalia Rezk murder
Police investigating the murder of mother-of-two Laila Rezk last year have arrested a man. Mrs Rezk, 51, was murdered shortly after returning to her home in Putney in south London last November. Her daughter found her, lying in her home suffering from severe head injuries, and she died later in hospital.
06 September 2010
ELO Cellist Killed In Hay Bale Accident
A former member of rock group Electric Light Orchestra was killed when a large hay bale crashed into his van while he was driving. Mike Edwards, who played cello with the Birmingham band between 1972 and 1975, died when the 600kg bale rolled onto the A381 in Halwell, Devon, around 12:30pm on Friday.
ELO Cellist Killed In Hay Bale Accident
A former member of rock group Electric Light Orchestra was killed when a large hay bale crashed into his van while he was driving. Mike Edwards, who played cello with the Birmingham band between 1972 and 1975, died when the 600kg bale rolled onto the A381 in Halwell, Devon, around 12:30pm on Friday.
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