Latest news with #RobertPrice
The Independent
2 days ago
- General
- The Independent
Teenagers flee after throwing fireworks into pensioner's house starting deadly blaze
Two teenagers have been jailed for manslaughter after a pensioner died as a result of fireworks thrown into his house. Robert Price, 76, died after sustaining injuries in the fire that followed at his home in Oval Road North, Dagenham on Saturday 27 July 2024. Videos showed a 16-year-old boy throwing fireworks through cardboard covering up a broken window at Price's house in Dagenham while Nathan Otitodilchukwu, 18, accompanied him. The incident was captured on CCTV and doorbell camera footage that helped identify the two teens. The pair appeared at the Old Bailey on 2 June (Monday). Otitodilchukwu was sentenced to six years in prison while the 16-year-old, who cannot be named, received two years and eight months.
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Shocking moment laughing teen yobs hurl FIREWORKS into home sparking huge blaze that killed OAP
THIS is the moment laughing teenage yobs hurled fireworks into a home sparking a huge blaze that killed a pensioner. OAP Robert Price had been victim of a years-long campaign of harassment and criminal damage before he died in the horror blaze. 4 4 4 The 76-year-old, who had the early signs of dementia, had been left with boarded up windows at his ground floor flat thanks to local youths. Doorbell footage shows the yobs approaching Mr Price's home on Oval Road North in Dagenham, East London, on July 27 last year. One youth can be seen climbing onto a wall to throw a firework through a blocked off window before running away. Paramedics and fire fighters had to force their way into the property and found the occupant's body. Mr Price was pronounced dead at the scene. A post-mortem gave his cause of death as inhalation of fire fumes and burns. Nathan Otitodilchukwu, 18, and a 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were jailed on Monday after previously admitting manslaughter. Otitodilchukwu was given a six-year jail term, the unnamed teen was sentenced to two years and eight months. Mr Price's heartbroken family said in a statement yesterday: "We are grateful to the CPS, police and social services for the work and support they have given us during this difficult time. "We would ask that our privacy be respected to allow us to grieve in peace." The two killers had tried to hurl a firework into the same home earlier that day but ran when Mr Price opened the door. When they returned shortly after, the 16-year-old can be heard saying "come with me, come with me" and then "gonna f***ing torch this n****", the Old Bailey heard previously. They ran into the front garden before the unnamed teen managed to punch a hole in the window boardings, the court heard. Otitodilchukwu is heard on Ring doorbell footage saying: "Gonna f***ing torch this n*****", "Yo, you f***ing paedo", "yo you f***ing d***head" and "We are gonna f**k you up", before running away. Prosecutor Catherine Farrelly KC said: "A loud bang can be heard, followed by high-pitched laughing as the group run away." During the sentencing, Judge Rebecca Trowler KC told the younger boy: "Mr Price lost his life in circumstances of a planned attack where I am sure you intended some harm, and in any event it was highly reckless as to the risk of harm." Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke, from Specialist Crime North, said: "This is a deeply tragic case, which saw a man lose his life in his own home after a completely mindless and reckless act had devastating consequences. "The young defendants will now have to face the consequences of their actions by spending time in prison. "I hope Robert's family can take some solace in this outcome and am pleased the defendants spared them the ordeal of a trial. "I would like to thank the London Fire Brigade for their initial response and the fire investigation which followed." Do you know more? Email
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Moment teenagers lob a firework into a house that started a massive blaze and killed an OAP: Pair are jailed for manslaughter
This is the moment a hooded teenager threw a lit firework into a home that started a massive blaze and killed a widower pensioner. Robert Price, 76, had been the victim of a years-long campaign of harassment and criminal damage before he died in the horror fire. The OAP, who had early signs of dementia, had been tormented by local youths to the point where all of his ground floor windows had been boarded up. Doorbell video and CCTV captured the yobs walking up to Mr Price's property in Oval Road North, Dagenham, on 27 July 2024. One lout then climbs onto a brick wall to lob a firework through a boarded-up window, and then sprint away from the house before the camera visibly shakes. Paramedics and firefighters rushed to Mr Price's home and forced entry where they discovered his body. He was pronounced dead at the scene with a post-mortem examination later giving the cause of death as inhalation of fire fumes and burns. Nathan Otitodilchukwu, 18, and a 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were today both jailed after previously admitting manslaughter. Otitodilchukwu was handed a six year jail term, while the teenager was sentenced to two years and eight months. Mr Price's family today thanked the CPS, police and social services 'for the work and support they have given us during this difficult time'. 'We would ask that our privacy be respected to allow us to grieve in peace,' they said in a statement released by Scotland Yard. The teenage killers were involved in trying to hurl a firework into Mr Price's home earlier that day but they fled when the pensioner opened his front door. Doorbell footage showed Mr Price open the door slightly and say something, before the 16-year-old ran away shouting 'he saw me fam' as the youths aborted their attack. A short time later, they walked back towards the house, with doorbell footage capturing him saying, 'come with me, come with me' and then 'gonna f****** torch this n****', the Old Bailey previously heard. The duo ran into the front garden of the house before the 16-year-old stepped on the gas meter box, reached above the boarded-up section of the window and punched a hole, the court was told. Otitodilchukwu is heard on Ring doorbell footage saying: 'Gonna f***ing torch this n*****', 'Yo, you f***ing paedo', 'yo you f***ing d***head' ' 'We are gonna f**k you up,' before running away. Sentencing the duo today, Judge Rebecca Trowler KC told the younger boy: 'Mr Price lost his life in circumstances of a planned attack where I am sure you intended some harm, and in any event it was highly reckless as to the risk of harm.' She noted the older defendant had 'poor impulse control' and a 'lack of appreciation of the impact on others'. However, his was a 'determined effort to carry out this offence and cause harm just short of serious harm', she said. The judge accepted that the younger defendant may have been 'encouraged' by the other boy who had previously been involved in criminal behaviour. She also noted that he had expressed 'remorse' and awareness of the 'gravity' of the offence. Previously, prosecutor Catherine Farrelly KC had told how Mr Price's terraced home caught fire in July 2024, with black smoke filling the house before he could be saved. 'Robert Price was killed in a fire which was started at his home address by the two defendants who smashed a window at his property and threw a firework inside,' she told the court. John Shoesmith, who had been friends with Mr Price for 10 years, said he would never leave his house because 'kids would disturb him,' Ms Farrelly said. Mr Shoesmith described him as socially awkward and said his lack of social skills and poor hearing meant some people found him 'hard to get along with'. The harassment included acts of criminal damage to his house, the court heard. According to Mr Shoesmith, Mr Price's windows were regularly smashed by a number of the local children, to the point that he had his downstairs windows boarded up. 'In Mr Shoesmith's words, this would happen all the time and they would make his life hell,' Ms Farrelly said. The most recent incident of criminal damage had occurred three days before Mr Price's death, when a brick had been put through his window, the court heard. CCTV footage from the day of the fire showed that in the hours before the attack, Otitodilchukwu, who was living in care, met up with the 16-year-old boy. They filmed themselves launching a firework into a lake, the court was told. At around 5.30pm, they walked towards Mr Price's house with the 16-year-old holding what was believed to be a firework, Ms Farrelly said. Doorbell footage showed Mr Price open the door slightly and say something, before the 16-year-old ran away shouting 'he saw me fam' shortly before the youths returned and carried out the attack. 'A loud bang can be heard, followed by high-pitched laughing as the group run away,' the prosecutor said. A few minutes later, smoke could be seen coming out of the window, before flames and black smoke engulfed the room, the court heard. A neighbour who had seen the flames knocked on the door and briefly spoke to Mr Price, but his 'responses became less clear', the court was told. The neighbour tried to get into the house to rescue Mr Price, but the door was locked, Ms Farrelly said. Firefighters were later able to get inside and put out the fire, but Mr Price could not be saved. When Otitodilchukwu, of Romford, returned to his care home that evening, he spoke to a support worker and said, 'I'm going to do 20 years in jail' and 'Don't check for news about what happened in Dagenham', the court heard. A little later he also told his support worker: 'I was drinking with my friends on Saturday and we were shooting fireworks.' A few days later, he asked a woman if she had heard about the fire, before telling her, 'If anyone asks, don't say I was in Dagenham,' the court was told. When asked why, he said: 'Maybe I started the fire with a firework.' He went on to say that he was drunk with two of his friends, that he had put a firework through a letter box and that it was funny. Otitodilchukwu was arrested the same day and the 16-year-old was arrested the following month. In a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Price's family said he was a 'kind' and 'generous' man, and described the 'suffering' that he must have endured. Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke, from Specialist Crime North, said: 'This is a deeply tragic case, which saw a man lose his life in his own home after a completely mindless and reckless act had devastating consequences. 'The young defendants will now have to face the consequences of their actions by spending time in prison. 'I hope Robert's family can take some solace in this outcome and am pleased the defendants spared them the ordeal of a trial.
BBC News
3 days ago
- General
- BBC News
Teenagers jailed over fireworks attack on widower Robert Price
Two teenagers have been locked up for a firework attack which led to the death of widower in his terraced home in east the years leading up to the attack, Robert Price, 76, had been the target of a prolonged campaign of harassment and criminal damage, the Old Bailey was Otitodilchukwu, 18, and a 16-year-old who cannot be named due to his age threatened to "torch" the pensioner before punching a hole in his window and pushing a firework into his home on Oval Road North, Dagenham, last pair had admitted manslaughter and were sentenced on Monday by Judge Rebecca Trowler KC. 'Poor impulse control' Otitodilchukwu was jailed for six years and the youth was handed a custodial sentence of two years and eight Trowler told the younger boy: "Mr Price lost his life in circumstances of a planned attack where I am sure you intended some harm, and in any event it was highly reckless as to the risk of harm."She noted the older defendant had "poor impulse control" and a "lack of appreciation of the impact on others".However, his was a "determined effort to carry out this offence and cause harm just short of serious harm", she judge accepted that the younger defendant may have been "encouraged" by the older teenager who had previously been involved in criminal also noted that he had expressed "remorse" and awareness of the "gravity" of the offence. Previously, prosecutor Catherine Farrelly KC had told how Mr Price's terraced home filled with black smoke on 27 July 2024 before he could be saved."Robert Price was killed in a fire which was started at his home address by the two defendants who smashed a window at his property and threw a firework inside," she told the Shoesmith, who had been friends with Mr Price for 10 years, said he would never leave his house because "kids would disturb him," Ms Farrelly Shoesmith described him as socially awkward and said his lack of social skills and poor hearing meant some people found him "hard to get along with".The harassment included acts of criminal damage to his house, the court to Mr Shoesmith, Mr Price's windows were regularly smashed by a number of the local children, to the point that he had his downstairs windows boarded up."In Mr Shoesmith's words, this would happen all the time and they would make his life hell," Ms Farrelly said. 'High-pitched laughing' CCTV footage from the day of the fire showed that in the hours before the attack, Otitodilchukwu, who was living in care, met up with the 16-year-old filmed themselves launching a firework into a lake, the court was around 17:30 BST, they walked towards Mr Price's house with the 16-year-old boy holding what was believed to be a firework, Ms Farrelly footage showed Mr Price open the door slightly and say something, before the 16-year-old ran away shouting "he saw me fam" shortly before the youths returned and carried out the attack."A loud bang can be heard, followed by high-pitched laughing as the group run away," the prosecutor said.A few minutes later, smoke could be seen coming out of the window, before flames and black smoke engulfed the room, the court heard.A neighbour who had seen the flames knocked on the door and briefly spoke to Mr Price, but his "responses became less clear", the court was neighbour tried to rescue Mr Price, but the door was locked, Ms Farrelly were later able to get inside and put out the fire, but Mr Price could not be saved. 'Kind and generous' When Otitodilchukwu, of Romford, returned to his care home that evening, he spoke to a support worker and said, "I'm going to do 20 years in jail" and "Don't check for news about what happened in Dagenham", the court heard.A little later he also told his support worker: "I was drinking with my friends on Saturday and we were shooting fireworks."A few days later, he asked a woman if she had heard about the fire, before telling her, "If anyone asks, don't say I was in Dagenham," the court was asked why, he said: "Maybe I started the fire with a firework."He went on to say that he was drunk with two of his friends, that he had put a firework through a letter box and that it was was arrested the same day and the 16-year-old was arrested the following a victim impact statement read to the court, Mr Price's family said he was a "kind" and "generous" man, and described the "suffering" that he must have endured.
Daily Telegraph
27-05-2025
- General
- Daily Telegraph
Canterbury preview: Luke Price wants a soft option for Mogwai
Don't miss out on the headlines from Horse Racing. Followed categories will be added to My News. Co-trainer Luke Price feels Mogwai has found himself in the right race to kick off his latest campaign but hopes the track improves back into the soft range. Despite Mogwai having a heavy track win to his credit, Price believes a soft track is ideal for the former Godolphin gelding. 'While he has won on a heavy track once before, he is a horse whose best form is on Good 4 to Soft 6,' said Price, who trains in partnership with his father, Robert. The son of Epaulette made his way to the Price's Kembla base late last year when purchased on Inglis Digital for $75,000. He kicked off for his new trainers in the best possible fashion with an all-the-way win from Tartana and So Good So Cool at Kembla on December 28. He then stepped straight to Saturday city grade when a neck third behind Zondee at Rosehill on January 18 before two unplaced runs. 'He did a good job last campaign after a long time off,' Price said. 'He scored a nice win first-up albeit in a provincial race on his home track but he did carry a big weight. 'He went great at his next start in city grade when he ran third. 'I think he's a horse who likes to stride along. He doesn't like being held up which happened at his last run.' The four-year-old is leading contender in the Benchmark 72 Handicap (1250m) first-up provided the track improves. 'He is coming up really well, I like Tommy Berry on him and I don't mind the barrier. It gives him room to stride along where he is comfortable,' he said. 'If he lobs outside the leader, he can run a very cheeky race.' Price believes Canterbury is the ideal track for Invade And Conquer who likes to control things in front. Like Mogwai, Price said the track condition is all important to the gelding who was unplaced in both runs on heavy ground. 'He's honest but he just needs a Soft 5 track at worst,' he said. 'I'm not sure if he will go around this week. We will just see how the track comes up on race morning.' The four-year-old was a dominant winner on his home track back on March 22 before a wide run when eighth at Hawkesbury followed by a fourth at Kembla. He led and give a good kick on straightening at Kembla last start before being caught on the post by Hyperbolic. From barrier 3, he would be a good chance in the Benchmark 72 (1550m) with Rachel King aboard. 'He was brave the other day. He just didn't see the horse come down the outside,' said Price. 'He's drawn well and has a good jockey on in Rachel who rates them very well in front.' The Price's other runner for the day is Miss Hvar in the Benchmark 72 (1550m) for fillies and mares. The daughter of Ocean Park debuted with a strong closing run from well back to grab Kuwait on the line at Kembla on April 19 before jumping up to a Benchmark 68 when fourth to Hyperbolic on May 10. 'I thought she ran really well the other day in a slowly run race that was dominated by the on speed horses,' Price said. 'She had to make a sustained run from near last and the track was starting to get a doughy for her. 'She has a good rider on in Tyler Schiller, has no weight and will go back any way so the barrier is not a huge concern. 'Like the other two, I just hope the track dries up a bit.' ■ ■ ■ ■ ■ Connections of Gunroom are banking on three key factors in the gelding's bid to break through for his first win. After leading at Warwick Farm last start, Gunroom looked home before being caught late be the flying Hopper. The son of Snitzel, who hails from the family of eight-time Group 1 winner Apache Cat, will give his rivals something to catch in the Broadsiding @ Darley Handicap (1250m). 'I thought he had the race won last start hence why we have opted to claim this week and the blinkers go on,' said Ben Vassallo, racing manager for B K Racing and Breeding. 'Also, getting him around a tighter circumference track that is rain affected as well as two kilo claim with Braith Nock. 'I think those factors can have him in a good position to break his maiden this week.' The Joe Pride-trained three-year-old was actually first past the post on debut at Hawkesbury last October before losing the race on protest to Lady Zodiac followed by a third at Wyong. This campaign, Gunroom resumed with a sixth at Hawkesbury before second placings to Maori Chief and Hopper in Super Maidens at Kensington and Warwick Farm taking his overall record to four placings from six starts. 'He hasn't been disappointing. It's just been frustrating to be so close to be honest,' Vassallo said. 'The jockey was soft on him late. It probably would have helped us in the (stewards) room if he pushed him out. 'Since then, he has had some good runs but some frustrating seconds. 'His pedigree says he will be better over further but we just want to win that maiden and then we can look to step him up in trip next preparation to 1400m or a mile.' B K Racing and Breeding also have Long Legs making her debut in the Ranvet Handicap (1100m) for two-year-old fillies. The Gary Portelli-trained daughter of Russian Revolution have been very good in both barrier trials on wet ground with Andrew Calder aboard who sticks with her. 'She is a beautiful filly. She is probably more of a three-year-old type than a two-year-old but we are late in the season now,' Vassallo said. 'She has thrived off everything we have asked of her. 'She has had a couple of weeks to prepare for this off that second trial. 'I expect her to run right up to her trials especially with the sting out of the ground.'
