CHINDAMO: HEADTEACHER’S KILLER CLEARED OF STREET ROBBERY BUT REMAINS BEHIND BARS

The killer of head teacher Philip Lawrence is back behind bars despite being cleared of using his infamy to mug a man.

Learco Chindamo, 31, was recalled on licence in November last year following his arrest for an alleged robbery at a Sainsburys cashpoint and his case remains under review.

Chindamo was accused of boasting about the 1995 murder to frighten 20-year-old David Sexton into handing over £20 at the scene in Chalk Farm Road, Camden, north London.

But the 31-year-old, who was released from prison in July last year after serving more than 14 years for the murder, claimed Mr Sexton ignited the row with drunken taunts of ‘killer’.

The clash, captured on CCTV, then spiraled into a seven-minute argument which ended with Mr Sexton handing over £10 as a peace offering, Chindamo told the jury.

He was cleared of robbery along with 32-year-olds Gregory Jananto – a barman at St Pancras International Champagne Bar, and Saeed Akhtar, following a trial at Blackfriars Crown Court.

During the trial Chindamo spoke publicly for the first time of murdering Mr Lawrence, 48, outside St George’s Roman Catholic School in Maida Vale, on December 8, 1995.

He said: ‘I know what I’ve done was a terrible thing. A horrible thing.’

Chindamo said Akhtar had organised the night out on November 12 and the three of them along with Jananto’s girlfriend Camilla Castle, a restaurant manager, started with a club in Camden.

He said he was not used to alcohol and was subject to regular drugs and drink testing in prison, so ‘definitely felt’ the five or six drinks he had.

He said the atmosphere when they left was ‘really good’ and they went to another nearby bar, before planning to go on to the West End.

Then everything changed when, as he fooled around with Jananto: ‘I remember hearing the word: ‘Killer’.

‘I think he said something to his friend: ‘That’s the killer.’

‘My ears pricked up.

‘But I don’t do anything, I don’t turn around because if you do that it’s obvious.

‘I seen him approaching the cashpoint.

‘I was looking at him from the side.

‘He said to me: ‘You’re that killer.’

‘I remember turning around to him and I gave him a serious look and I said something like: ‘Don’t call me that, bruv.’

He said Mr Sexton’s friend Seamus Delahunty came over and said to Chindamo: ‘I know you.

‘I said: ‘How do you know me?’

‘He said: ‘You’re that guy who killed the teacher.’

Chindamo can be seen to get aggressive towards Mr Sexton on CCTV and at one point was ‘head-to-head.’

But he told the court: ‘I was just saying: ‘Don’t call me that.’

‘When Delahunty pointed me out I just lost my temper..

‘I had a go at him. I said: ‘You don’t know anything about me. Did he just tell you who I was?’

‘I was just ranting.’

Chindamo denied asking any of Mr Sexton’s group for money.

Then when Jananto got involved, appearing to wield a bottle, he said he felt ‘shocked’ and tried to keep him away from Mr Sexton.

‘I know I was acting aggressive, but I couldn’t see myself,’ he continued.

‘When I seen myself on CCTV I didn’t realise I was that bad.

He said he was offered the money to ‘buy a drink.;

‘He put the money in my hand and shook my hand.’

Chindamo was found guilty of the murder in September 1996 and a judge jailed him for life with a recommendation he serve a minimum of 12 years before being considered for parole.

He told the court a fight started outside and Mr Lawrence came out and broke it up.

Describing the stabbing, he said: ‘He followed me and my group. I struck him with my hand.

‘As he tapped my shoulder I struck him and I’ve kicked him as well.

‘I think I said: ‘F’ off, leave me alone,’ something along those lines.

‘He tapped me on the shoulder a second time.

‘I stabbed him.’

This was the fourth attempt to try the men after the first three trials collapsed.

On the first occasion in July the jury was discharged after a number of setbacks including an approach being made to a juror by a work experience student with the Probation Service.

There was a new line-up at the beginning of this month, which was replaced after one juror fell asleep and confessed to an inability to concentrate.

The third panel was released after Akhtar was accused of contempt of court for allegedly speaking to a juror outside court.

Chindamo, of Canadian Avenue, Catford, southeast London, Akhtar, of Lavita House, Chalton Street, Kings Cross, northwest London, and Jananto, of Percy Road, Shepherd’s Bush, west London, denied robbery on November 13 last year and were cleared.

Chindamo bowed his head and gently nodded and embraced Jananto before being led away.

Jananto walked free while Akhtar’s alleged contempt will be dealt with later.

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