Man jailed for life over ‘inhuman’ attack on random stranger in gambling arcade

Abel Berhany, 23, from Leyton, had post traumatic stress disorder and undiagnosed paranoid schizophrenia when he launched a “terrifying” attack on 56-year-old chauffeur Abraham Haile, a court was told.

The defendant pleaded guilty to manslaughter and was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 18 years on Friday (June 17).

The Old Bailey had heard how Berhany, an Eritrean national, had been tortured in Libya as a child before being granted asylum in Britain.

The attack on Mr Haile at City Slots in Camden, north London, on July 28 2020 was caught on CCTV.

Prosecutor Danny Robinson QC had told how Berhany took Mr Haile to the ground and stamped on him following a row.

An arcade manager ushered seven other customers out and locked the door as they waited for police to arrive.

Describing the violence that followed, Mr Robinson said: “During the course of 16 minutes that they were alone inside City Slots, Mr Berhany kicked, stamped or jumped on Mr Haile’s head or upper body 99 times.

“He used a pen to draw on or score Mr Haile’s neck and he poured bleach and sprayed an aerosol that he found in a store cupboard over Mr Haile’s body.

“He hit Mr Haile’s head with two fire extinguishers a total of 50 times and he discharged both fire extinguishers over and into Mr Haile.

“During the attack Mr Berhany stopped for a while to have a cigarette. After he finished his cigarette he started hitting Mr Haile with a fire extinguisher again.

“The violence continued for another eight minutes before police managed to get into City Slots.”

Mr Haile was pronounced dead at the scene.

Abel Berhany. Credit: Met Police/PA

Following his arrest, Berhany said that he had been tortured in Libya in the past.

At a sentencing hearing, it was said on Berhany’s behalf that he was remorseful and found it difficult to believe he was capable of such violence.

Mr Haile’s family described the impact of his death, saying it was a “terrible way to go out” which had cast a “dark cloud” over their lives.

Sentencing, Judge Martin Picton suggested the defendant had been “re-enacting” the torture he had suffered in the past.

He said Berhany’s actions were “cruel, heartless, and inhuman”.

He added: “Abraham Haile lost his life in the most awful of circumstances. His family and those who loved him will never recover from the impact of this senseless tragedy. They will be left wondering why him and why did no-one save him?”

Judge Picton said there was a “significant” risk of Berhany committing further offences in the future and he may never be considered safe for release.