Jail for Romford killer

LAST MONTH Richard Laurent was found guilty of manslaughter. Last week he appeared at Woolwich Crown Court and received a prison sentence of nine years, together with a three year extension to the sentence – a total of twelve years in jail.

Laurent, 46, of no fixed address, had been drinking with a number of other people in a house in Maple Street, Romford on the night of 16th March last year and into the early hours of17th March. Derek Bailey, 61, was also present. Laurent confronted Bailey about the suspected theft of some money and then attacked him.

A man on his way to work early on the morning of 17th March saw Bailey lying in the front garden of a house in Maple Street and called an ambulance. Paramedics attended and found that Bailey was unresponsive. They took him to Queens Hospital in Romford where he received intensive medical treatment but sadly he died at 08.40 hours that morning.

It was later found that Bailey had suffered significant blunt force trauma, and this contributed directly to his death. Laurent was charged with murder on 13th December 2016.

Detective Inspector Nicky Oatham, from the Metropolitan Police Homicide and Major Crime Command, said, “Laurent today begins a lengthy prison sentence after he was convicted of a brutal and unprovoked attack. He left Derek lying fatally injured in a front garden where he had dumped him. His behaviour was truly shocking. Derek’s family has been left devastated by his tragic death.”

•Read more about it:
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East Ham stabbing becomes a murder hunt

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