4 days ago
Serial mugger who became a killer at 17 when he murdered high-flying City lawyer for his mobile phone and travelcard is set to bid for freedom
One of a teenage gang who murdered a high-flying city lawyer for his mobile phone in a vile crime that his fiancee said 'ripped her heart out' has a parole hearing and could be freed.
Delano Brown was 18 when he was jailed for 17 years for the murder of Cambridge graduate Tom ap Rhys Pryce in Bathurst Gardens, north west London, in January 2006.
The crime became one of the most notorious of the 2000s when it emerged that Carty, now 36, and his friend Donnel Carty had targeted over 150 victims over seven months before they murdered Tom, a lawyer 'with the world at his feet.'
The astonishing pain caused by the death of the public-school-educated 31-year-old was laid bare by a powerful 1,000 word statement read out at the Old Bailey on behalf of Tom's grieving fiancee Adele Eastman, 31, also a lawyer, who had been due to marry Tom in September 2006.
Miss Eastman had hoped to deliver the Victim Impact Statement herself, but the law at the time did not allow this and it was instead read to the court.
'I had hoped I might be able to read my statement from the witness box in open court,' she said. 'I wanted Carty and Brown to hear directly from me the absolute devastation which they have caused.
'I must start by saying that my sense of pain and horror at losing Tom, and in such a brutal way, is literally indescribable. I have found it almost impossible even to try to put it into words but hope that I manage to convey it at least to some extent through my statement.
'Tom was my best friend, my soul mate. I adored him - I always will. I miss him more than I could ever describe: his beautiful heart, his brilliant mind, his big loving eyes, his gentle voice, his gleeful laugh and quirky sense of humour, his dancing, our chats and the great fun that we used to have together. I miss us.
'On the day Tom was killed, he had made contact with the priest who was due to conduct our wedding ceremony. He printed off the details he had received that afternoon, together with his wedding vows. They were found later that night strewn around him on the pavement as the paramedics battled to save his life.
Donnel Carty aged 19 (left) and Delano Brown aged 18 (right) were sentenced for the murder of City lawyer Tom ap Rhys Pryce in 2006
'In a matter of seconds wedding plans and a future together had changed to funeral plans and a lifetime apart.'
MailOnline can reveal that Brown has been referred to the Parole Board for his first hearing since passing the minimum tariff behind bars.
A spokesperson for the Parole Board said: 'We can confirm the parole review of Delano Brown has been referred to the Parole Board by the Secretary of State for Justice and is following standard processes.
'Parole Board decisions are solely focused on what risk a prisoner could represent to the public if released and whether that risk is manageable in the community.
'A panel will carefully examine a huge range of evidence, including details of the original crime, and any evidence of behaviour change, as well as explore the harm done and impact the crime has had on the victims.
'Members read and digest hundreds of pages of evidence and reports in the lead up to an oral hearing.
'Evidence from witnesses such as probation officers, psychiatrists and psychologists, officials supervising the offender in prison as well as victim personal statements may be given at the hearing.
'It is standard for the prisoner and witnesses to be questioned at length during the hearing which often lasts a full day or more. Parole reviews are undertaken thoroughly and with extreme care. Protecting the public is our number one priority.'
CCTV footage from the Met Police shows Tom at Kensal Green station shortly before he was attacked near his home on January 12, 2006
CCTV stills show Donnel Carty and Delano Brown robbing an Asian male on January 16, 2006
The jury heard how the youths followed Tom from Kensal Green tube station because they thought it was likely he would 'have something worth stealing'.
Carty whistled and nodded his head at Brown to indicate that they were to rob him.
The lawyer, who worked for law firm Linklaters, was knocked to the ground, kicked in the face and then stabbed. He collapsed close to the house he shared with fiance.
The meagre haul from the robbery was a travelcard, a mobile phone and some bank cards.
Half an hour before, the pair had robbed a chef on a platform at the station, taking his mobile, travelcard and £60.
The two were arrested six days after the murder.
A trainer was found with the dead man's blood on it and signs that Brown had worn it.
Carty, now 37, remains in prison with his minimum 21-year term not due to finish until 2027.
