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Review of 'lenient' sentences given to happy-slap killers
Nicholas Cecil, Deputy Political Editor29 Jul 2010
The Attorney General is reviewing the "lenient" sentences given to the teenage killers of a grandfather in a "happy-slapping" attack.
Dominic Grieve has called for the papers on the case of Leon Elcock, 15, and Hamza Lyzai, 16, who were sentenced to four-and-a-half years and three-and-a-half-years respectively.
Both pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of Ekram Haque, 67, after he was punched to the ground for fun as he walked his three-year-old granddaughter Marian home from a Tooting mosque last August.
Mr Haque, a retired care worker, suffered severe brain injury when his head hit the pavement. Elcock was on bail for an earlier attack on an elderly Asian couple at the time.
Following a public outcry over the sentences, the Government's chief law officer is considering referring the case to the Court of Appeal. Mr Haque's family has condemned the judge's decision not to imprison the killers for longer and Tooting MP Sadiq Khan wrote to Mr Grieve urging him to intervene. "I believe these sentences are unduly lenient," said the Labour MP and human rights lawyer.
"In all likelihood, Leon Elcock will serve a little over two years from the date of sentencing, while Hamza Lyzai may be released on licence in a matter of months."
Mr Khan told how Mr Haque's family had been traumatised by the attack.
He argued that the sentences should be increased because the two killers, had attacked two other men only 20 seconds earlier in the same road. They had also taken part in a "happy-slapping" attack on an elderly couple five days previously, kicking and stamping on them in their home.
Calling themselves "Lane Gang Productions", the thugs had regularly filmed assaults on strangers.
A spokesman for the Attorney General's office said: "We will examine it in the usual way under the unduly lenient sentences procedure."
Reader views (14)
There is nothing "happy" about murdering an innocent man in front of his grandchild. The sentences were a joke. This trash should be sentenced to life and life meaning life. They are scum who do not deserve to be on this earth - and lets not forget the trash that took the photos - what happened to him?
- bjj (ex UK PAT), sydney, Australia, 30/07/2010 09:52
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Lets hope they manage to come to some sort of sensible sentencing that reflects the trauma that the little girl will have to carry wither her for the rest of her life and that of the rest of the family. These idiots clearly hadn't shown any remorse to reflect the severity of their crime if Elcock was on Bail. Come on let common sense prevail so that these criminals learn a lesson they cant forget quite so quickly.
- Matt, London England, 29/07/2010 22:39
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Where are the parents/guardians of these boys in all of this?
Why haven't the ES,DM, reported on the families/relatives reaction to their children criminal activities. Resulting in the death of a retired father/grandfather. Where is the remorse part in all of this???
- Ern,Expat,UKTaxpayer, Clermont, Fl,USA, 29/07/2010 20:49
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Can this behaviour be regarded as anything else but criminal assault ? It should be treated as such resulting in a prison sentence.
- michael, London, UK, 29/07/2010 18:39
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"'I believe these sentences are unduly lenient,' said the Labour MP and human rights lawyer."
No, they weren't "unduly lenient", they were derisory.
This calls for a long sentence, followed by deportation.
- Croyboy, Croydon, UK, 29/07/2010 17:51
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these judges stay in the in what can only be described as mansions with waiters,chefs and butlers on call for their every whim when they are circuit judges no wonder they are out of touch with reality if they stayed at normal hotels they would save the tax payer millions and maybe get a dose of realism
- anon leicestershire, leicestershire, 29/07/2010 17:51
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They punched a man to the ground while he walked a three-year-old girl home. These guys are 'human trash' and they won't change. The punishment obviously does not fit the crime.
In general and all over Europe the worst criminals are being given more thought than the victims. (In Germany, the worst imaginable offenders had to be released from prison because of a decision by the European Court for Human Rights based on absurd legal technicalities.)
This is not what the vast majority of the general public wants. Why do we put up with it?
- Lui, Konstanz, Germany, 29/07/2010 17:49
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Send them and their kind round to me!I'll give them a real good slapping, and "happy" is the last thing it'll be!!Slimeballs!
- Meldroo, Oldham, 29/07/2010 17:45
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Now if they had tried to con someone into buying the Ritz they would have got 5 years.
- Patrick, Dalston, 29/07/2010 17:34
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The Judiciary seems to be in a complete shambles with no idea that it is there to protect the public. Combined with a useless CPS our Justice must seem uselessly weak to any other country in the world.
- Tojo, Hythe Kent, 29/07/2010 17:33
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they both should serve at least 15yrs (AT LEAST). They are complete scum. Sometimes it's makes you feel that peolpe like that should be put down, end of.
- david, london, 29/07/2010 17:17
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I agree with Frank.
Why the media sees the need to buy into common phrases like happy-slapping. I completely undermines the awfulness of the crime. An elderly couple assaulted in their own home. They will never come to terms with that, yet reporting it as happy-slapping suggests the attackers didn't intend any long term harm and excuses it as high-jinx. Also, the ridiculous practice of listing gang names with initial caps ... these aren't official organisations. It's all back to front. I don't know how these judges and magistrates sleep at night.
- Ben Farrell, London, 29/07/2010 14:12
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I think we should start a Facebook Group and drum up support to bring a Private Prosecution against these scum bags. Its embarassing that the CPS have come to the decision to accept a plea of manslaughter when it is clear that this was an unprovoked pre-meditated vicious physical attack resulting in death which are legal grounds to bring a case for murder.
I was almost in tears watching the footage of that little girl trying to comfort her dying grandfather, she will be traumatised for life after what she witnessed. I was absolutely shocked and horrified by this case and so should the authorities have been.
Our legal system is an embarassment and this proves it.
- Andy Cook, Keighley, England, 29/07/2010 13:58
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How on earth does the term "happy-slapping" have any descriptive relationship to kicking and stamping on an elderly couple in their home?
The whole senile judiciary needs a review, not just these sentences.
- Frank, Home Counties, England., 29/07/2010 13:37
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