CHINDAMO:TEEN MUGGED BY HEADMASTER KILLER SMASHED UP A KEBAB HOUSE
A cashpoint customer allegedly mugged by the killer of head teacher Philip Lawrence was cautioned for smashing up a kebab house, a court heard today (fri).
Learco Chindamo, 30, is accused of using his notoriety to intimidate David Sexton, 20, into handing over cash just four months after he was released from a life sentence.
Prosecutors claim Chindamo ordered Mr Sexton to hand over the £20 as compensation for ‘disrespecting’ him.
The alleged attacker stood inches from his face and asked him: ‘Do you know who I am?’ and ‘Do you remember about the head teacher in Maida Vale?’, jurors have heard.
But Chindamo claims Mr Sexton sparked the row by hurling taunts of ‘killer’, knowing he was responsible for murdering Mr Lawrence outside St George’s Roman Catholic School in Maida Vale, in 1995.
Chindamo is charged with robbery alongside Gregory Jananto and Saeed Akhtar, both 32.
Mr Sexton has told Blackfriars Crown Court he did not recognise Chindamo but knew about the murder as it happened in his area.
He claims he was mugged outside a Sainsbury’s Local branch on Chalk Farm Road, Camden, north London, at around 3.30am on November 13 last year.
Mr Sexton said was intimidated into handing over money after Chindamo approached him boasting about the killing and the other two surrounded him with Jananto wielding a bottle.
But Tyrone Smith, defending Chindamo, suggested the alleged victim was prone to drunken outburts and started the row.
Mr Sexton has admitted he earlier drunk up to 11 pints of the cider and lager mix snakebite after seeing the comedy stunt film Jackass 3D.
He was about to visit a brothel with two friends when he ran into Chindamo, jurors heard.
The barrister asked Mr Sexton about his caution for criminal damage at nearby Woody’s Grill a month later on December 12.
‘A few weeks after this at a similar time, you had been out drinking all day, got yourself into a confrontation with a kebab shop owner. That’s correct isn’t it?’ asked Mr Smith.
Mr Sexton agreed and the barrister went on: ‘You and a group of friends, who had been out boozing, turn up with alcohol in a late night takeaway and start drinking on the premises.’
He said that was true but denied knowing anything about chips allegedly being thrown at a black woman inside the shop.
‘The staff were trying to get you to leave the premises?’
‘I believe so, yes,’ replied the witness.
The barrister said: ‘There was an incident outside and there were injuries to a member of staff and your friend.
‘As a result of this you took it upon yourself to smash up the inside of the kebab shop, causing a considerable amount of damage.
‘You were on bail, when you make your statement in this case, in relation to that.
‘You admitted your part and to your credit you apologised.
‘When you have a few drinks you sometimes act in a way you wouldn’t when sober?
‘You’re prepared to stand your ground when you have had a few drinks?’
Mr Sexton replied: ‘I’m prepared to stand my ground when I haven’t.’
The barrister claimed Mr Sexton may not have expected such an angry response from Jananto when he mocked Chindamo.
He said he stood his ground at first but eventually backed down and actually offered money as a peace offering.
The barrister said: ‘You said you didn’t mean anything by it.
‘You offered to take him for a drink.
‘You handed him the money, which I suggest was £10, and said: ‘Why don’t you have a drink on me?’
Mr Sexton replied: ‘I don’t remember that.’
The barrister said: ‘You were standing your ground. This had nothing to do with money.’
Mr Smith suggested the body language depicted in the footage, supported the defence assertion that he provoked the situation before trying to get Chindamo to calm down Jananto.
‘On your case Mr Chindamo’s the robber and you’re asking the robber to calm down the man who is trying to attack you?’ said the barrister.
The witness said that was true and Mr Smith pointed him out on the footage going towards Mr Jananto.
The barrister asked: ‘Did you make a gun gesture at Mr Jananto? That’s why he puts his hand to his head as if to say: ‘Look, you’re mad.’
Mr Sexton insisted he did not make such a gesture and the barrister said: ‘Did you get angry beause he wouldn’t accept your hand?’
The barrister also suggested Chindamo was trying to get him to go away, asking him: ‘Where are your mates?’ as they had disappeared from his side.
‘Is that Mr Chindamo pointing in the direction of your friends and telling you to go?’
‘I dont recall him saying that,’ replied the witness.
Mr Smith said: ‘He is saying you shouldn’t have made the comments you made at the beginning and that you’d upset him and he wasn’t proud of what he had done.’
Mr Sexton repeated: ‘I don’t remember him saying that.’
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, deny robbery.
The trial continues.
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