A mugger has been sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in jail for the murder of an 87-year-old man who was returning home with a small bag of groceries. The Old Bailey court was informed that Peter Augustine (59) lost control during an attempt to steal the shopping bag from the victim, John Mackey, outside a Co-op store in Manor House, north London, on 6 May. Mr. Mackey, an Irishman who had resided in Finsbury Park for 70 years, died in the hospital two days following the assault, which involved him being kicked, punched, and stamped on, reports The WP Times with reference to the ВВС.
Sentencing Augustine to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 23 years, Justice Whitehouse described the victim as a “gentle, innocent” man who was killed “for a box of cornflakes, a pint of milk and a saveloy sausage.” The judge stated that she had "no doubt that if this defendant was genuinely starving and had asked Mr Mackey for help, this kind, generous gentleman would have assisted him." The court heard that Augustine had been actively seeking out victims. Upon spotting the frail 87-year-old, who relied on a stick for walking, Augustine crossed a busy road, followed him for 15 minutes, and then attacked him in a quieter location.
Witnesses detailed the minute-long assault, recalling Augustine shouting, "give me the bag" while violently punching and "stomping on" John Mackey. Prosecuting, Jane Bickerstaff KC emphasized that there was "no need to use any violence at all" since Augustine "could have just snatched that bag from Mr Mackey's hand." Instead, Augustine employed "an astonishing level of gratuitous violence," carried out "in extreme anger," as observed by witnesses.
The judge told the court that the fatal outcome was not merely the result of a theft attempt but a consequence of Augustine's uncontrollable rage. Augustine, who was convicted by a jury on 13 November, also received concurrent sentences of four weeks for theft and eight years for robbery. The defendant displayed consistent disrespect during the judicial process, refusing to attend a psychiatrist's appointment and other meetings, and was even excluded from the courtroom during the trial due to his aggressive outbursts. He was absent from Friday's sentencing, claiming he suffered from a bad back.
The victim's niece, Patricia Schan, paid tribute to her uncle, describing him as "the perfect uncle" — funny, charming, mischievous, always immaculately dressed, and "never seen without his trilby hat." She also mentioned his love for his "beloved Arsenal" FC. She condemned the defendant's actions, noting he showed "complete disdain and disrespect to the family," and stated that Mr. Mackey’s murder had caused profound grief to his extended Irish family.
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