Hospital for drinker who tried to kill shopkeeper

A drinker who tried to kill a shopkeeper with a wine bottle after he was refused rum on credit is to be hospitalised indefinitely.

Trevor Sinclair, 51, was caught on CCTV wrestling on the floor with Srikanth Mailvaganam and bludgeoning him over the head five times at the Brixton store.

Mr Mailvaganam was working behind the till at The Stockwell Convenience Store when Sinclair approached the counter with two soft drinks, asking for rum on credit.

Sinclair was turned away but came back minutes later, with a kitchen knife in his trousers, asking again for a bottle of rum.

After being refused again, Sinclair threw a large bottle of water at Mr Mailvaganam, shouting: ‘I’ll kill you’.

The pair ended up on the floor and Mr Mailvaganam bravely managed to disarm Sinclair of his blade.

But Sinclair grabbed a wine bottle from the fridge and beat Mr Mailvaganam over the head until it smashed.

He then snatched his knife back and stabbed Mr Mailvaganam in the face, causing permanent, disfiguring wounds.

Sinclair was convicted of attempted murder following an Old Bailey trial.

Judge Sarah Munro, QC, told Mr Sinclair he will be hospitalised under the section 37 of the Mental Health Act with a section 41 restriction.

Since undergoing treatment, Mr Sinclair has shifted his approached to show remorse and regret for the actions and is starting to appreciate that without medical help he poses a risk to the public.

The judge said alcohol abuse had exacerbated Mr Sinclair’s mental health problems on the day that he carried out his attack and told him: “You are suffering from a mental disorder, so should be detained appropriately.”

He will remain at Riverhouse, Bethlem Royal Hospital, where he has been since he was removed from prison in March.

Prosecutor Louise Oakley said: ‘On Friday 15 July 2016, at approximately 11:42, Srikanth Mailvaganam was working behind the till serving customers.

‘The defendant entered the store and selected two soft drinks from a fridge.

‘He then approached the till and asked for credit to purchase not only these two soft drinks but also a bottle of rum as he did not have any money.

‘When his request was declined he became angry and left the store threatening to return.’

As Mr Mailvaganam was serving customers, the defendant, a regular user of the store, entered on two separate occasions within a few minutes of each other.

Ms Oakley said: ‘On the second occasion, the defendant had a kitchen knife in the waistband of his trousers.

‘Without warning, he attacked Mr Mailvaganam and, whilst on the floor, he struck him about the head and face with a bottle and the kitchen knife, causing him what the Crown describe as life-changing injuries to his face and head.

‘Unfortunately the defendant was the bigger and stronger man, and eventually, using his entire body weight, he was able to climb on top of his victim and pin him down.’

Witnesses called police to scene, where an officer tasered the attacker after seeing him towering over his victim with a knife.

Sinclair was taken to Brixton Police Station, where he refused to answer any questions by police.

Mr Mailvaganam, who had worked in his brother’s convenience store on Stockwell Road for up to six years, knew Sinclair as he regularly asked for credit in the store.

CCTV footage of the incident showed Sinclair repeatedly batter his victim with the wine bottle until it smashed.

Sinclair, of Turberville House, Moat Place, Brixton, denied but was convicted of attempted murder. He had admitted the lesser alternative of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
ends