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Halloween gang ‘celebrated as they left victim dying’
Felix Allen04.11.09
This is father-to-be Richard Price who was beaten to death on Halloween night by four men.
One witness said the gang walked away celebrating like footballers after scoring a goal, leaving him bleeding from fatal head injuries.
Mr Price, 23, was set upon in an alley next to the Empire cinema in Bromley High Street. It was claimed today that his attackers had been ejected from a pub where the victim was drinking and had waited for him.
Friends of Mr Price said his pregnant girlfriend was “devastated” after his life support machine was switched off yesterday at the Princess Royal University Hospital in Farnborough.
It was the second fatal Halloween attack in London. Ben Gardner, 30, was kicked to death in Sutton after standing up to a gang who grabbed his girlfriend's witch's hat.
Two Police Community Support Officers found Mr Price unconscious while on patrol at about 11.40pm.
He had been drinking at the Swan and Mitre where a row is believed to have broken out and a couple assaulted.
Police are investigating reports that the victim racially abused people in the pub before he was attacked.
A shocked witness to the assault, who did not want to be named, said: “It was four-on-one and they beat him to death viciously and savagely.”
Asked how the attackers reacted, the witness said: “Imagine someone scoring a football goal. Then they strode off proudly.”
Last night all the pubs in Bromley town centre were closed, apparently on police orders.
Residents said they had been told by police it was to prevent reprisal attacks but Scotland Yard
would not confirm if it was linked.
Four men were charged with Mr Price's murder last night. Murat Karabeyaz, 24, of Catford, Michael Liddell, 19, of Ealing, Param-Jit Theara, 24, of Greenwich, and Jagtar Johal, 36, of Bromley, were due to appear at Bromley magistrates' court.
Two men have been charged over the killing of IT worker Mr Gardner. Police said Daniel Ransom and Ross Collender, both unemployed and aged 20 from
Carshalton, were due to appear in court today charged with murder.
Reader views (13)
Lisa - The London Borough of Bromley is in London and The London Borough of Sutton is in... London! You are more than 40 years out of date.
- Bob, Croydon, UK
I was not being smug at all, not in my nature, it just makes me so upset to hear whats happening and I know it happens everywhere. Apologies and RIP Richard.
- Dave, Portugal
i was a friend of richard he was a gentle giant and a kind person who would be there for his mates . god bless u mate u will be missed so much rip richard
- Paul Webb, bromley
What is wrong with society nowadays? People have become so violent and unforgiving, I guess it's a sign of the times to come.
- Leon, London
How small minded are you to think this only happens in London. The reason Richard is in the newspaper is because he DIDNT deserve it!! RIP rich
- Beth, Bromley
Bad things happen everywhere dave. Little maddie was kidnapped from the algarve incase you had forgotten? Don't be so smug and take time to think about what you are saying
- Sarah, Bromley
Dave, er... so the Algarve is a safe place to live ? That's in very poor taste.
- Harry Lime, London
Dave's right. This would never have happened in, say, Praia da Luz.
- Stg, Peckham, London
Richard was my friend, he was a lovely kind person with a big heart, he stuck up for people all the time, no one deserves what happened to him, my heart goes out to his mum and his girlfriend, Rich you will be missed so much xx
- Bex, Bromley
Dont be so smug Dave, it happens everywhere.
- Sam, soho
Nowhere is safe these days, looks like they are taking over all of london and now kent. Lets all move to norfolk.
- Oth, Camberwell
Hi Dave, Bromley is actually in Kent and Sutton is in Surrey.
- Lisa, London
Am I pleased I moved away from London to live in the Algarve.......
- Dave, Portugal
