Jail for teenagers who killed pensioner by throwing a firework through his window

Two teenagers who were caught on a doorbell camera as they killed a vulnerable pensioner by throwing a firework through his broken window were locked up for more than eight years.

Robert Price, 76, died from burns and smoke inhalation at the blaze at his home in Oval Road North, Dagenham, last 27 July.

Nathan Otitodilchukwu, 18, and a 16-year-old, who cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted manslaughter.

Mr Price had the early signs of dementia and had been targeted so much by local youths that all his ground floor windows had been boarded up, the Old Bailey heard.

The two killers were involved in trying to hurl a firework into Mr Price’s home earlier that day but they fled when the pensioner opened his front door.

But they returned and Otitodilchukwu is heard on Ring footage saying: ‘Gonna f***ing torch this n*****’, ’Yo, you f***ing paedo’, ‘yo you f***ing d***head’ ‘ ‘We are gonna f**k you up’.

CCTV captures smoke coming from the broken window after the 16-year-old punched a hole through the glass.

Flames then become visible amid the billowing smoke.

CCTV footage also captures the occupants of a neighbouring property exiting their property, and a male neighbour is seen trying to knock on Mr Price’s door.

Firefighters found the pensioner and carried out his body.

Otitodilchukwu was locked up for six years while the 16-year-old was detained for two years and eight months.

Judge Rebecca Trowler, KC, said: ‘Mr Price was quickly overwhelmed by the smoke before he was able to get out of the property.

‘Mr Price was discovered dead inside the property with widespread burns to a large percentage of his body and it was not possible to save him.’

She told the 16-year-old: ‘You were the principle offender in the sense you physically threw the firework into the house and you Nathan encouraged it and clearly planned it with (the 16-year-old), in my view you are no less responsible even though you didn’t actually throw the firework.

‘You were acting together that afternoon to carry out the attack.

‘Following your arrest, parts of a firework were found in your bedroom.

‘From that it seems your motivation for this offence was to ‘f**k up Mr Price’ because he had a conviction for a sexual offence.

‘I make this clear now, the fact he had a conviction and that was your motive, provides no mitigation whatsoever.

‘Mr Price in no way deserved what happened to him.

‘Given the particular words used which implied the intent to cause real harm to Mr Price and burn him, I am sure your intention was to cause harm, falling just short of really serious harm, I reject the claim before that the use of those words was to provide bravado.

‘In the circumstances I am sure you meant what you said when you threatened to torch Mr Price and f**k him up.

‘You currently present risk of further serious harm to members of the public, however, given your age, the fact you will inevitably mature over the coming years and the fact you will be serving a long time in custody, in my view it is not necessary to have an extended sentence.’

Catherine Farrelly, KC, prosecuting, said Mr Price was a ‘vulnerable adult who had carers who would regularly attend on a daily basis.

‘He had been a target of a long campaign of criminal damage and harassment.’

Described as ‘socially awkward’ he was hard of hearing and may have begun to develop dementia.

He also had reduced mobility and used a walking frame.

‘Mr Price would never leave his home address and the reason for that is that the local kids would disturb him,’ Ms Farrelly said.

‘This harassment of Mr Price by local children had also extended to acts of criminal damage to his property.

‘Mr Price’s windows were regularly smashed by a number of local children, to the extent where Mr Price had had all of his ground floor windows boarded up.’

A friend of Mr Price, John Shoesmith said the attacks ‘made his life hell.’

Ms Farrelly added: ‘Mr Price would also regularly talk to one of his neighbours.

‘She spoke of how Mr Price was targeted for three to five years by local youths who would smash his windows, her view was that it occurred whenever youths were passing and whenever they wanted.’

A brick was thrown through Mr Price’s window two days before he died.

Otitodilchukwu was convicted of possession of a bladed article in September 2023.

He was convicted of possessing an offensive weapon last June and was subject to a youth rehabilitation order at the time of the killing of Mr Price.

Beth O’Reilly KC, defending Otitodilchukwu, said he suffers from speech and language difficulties.

‘Mitigating factors in his defence include his learning disability, his age, and we submit, his lack of maturity. Nathan suffers from a number of conditions, including ADHD and autism spectrum.

‘He has been looked after by a number of foster carers. That experience has been hugely traumatic for him. He has been separated from siblings. This is his first experience in a custodial setting.

‘He is being taught a skill which hopefully will equip him for the future.

‘He has accepted his responsibility. He accepts and understands that a custodial sentence of some length will be passed on him.’

Peter Moulson KC, defending the 16-year-old, said: ‘Full credit for his guilty plea should be extended to him.

‘He has no previous convictions, cautions, warnings or reprimands recorded against him.

‘We do submit that he was encouraged in the commission of the offence by his co-accused.’

‘There is no evidence that he was involved in any prior acts of harassment of Mr Price.’

Mr Moulson said the teenager has already been in custody for 301 days.

‘We submit that while it was completely obvious that some harm would result from what he did with the firework, we say that it was a wholly reckless act rather than being desirous of any harm to Mr Price. He was sixteen years old at the time’, Mr Moulson replied.

‘He has not given professionals any reason to believe that he poses a serious risk to others.’

In a victim impact statement Mr Price’s sister Valerie Butt said: ‘When I heard the devastating news of how my brother was killed. it shook me to the very core of my being, my brother, who was kind, generous and giving.

‘I am truly angry to have experienced these feelings of despair, it is something that is beyond my understanding.

‘This is a sentence in itself for my family and we have to accept that one of our brothers was killed.

‘How do we accept such a loss.’

Mr Price’s brother Dennis Palmer said: ‘Robert was one of my older brothers, with whom I had a strong relationship.

‘I looked up to Robert in many ways for guidance and advice, something he was only too glad to give.

‘Robert was always very smart in his appearance and extremely hardworking.

‘I was young when Robert got married but I know he was very happy in married life and very happy with his life in Dagenham.

‘When I first learned of Robert’s death, I was shocked, the whole family were.

‘Robert did not deserve to die the way he did, I find myself constantly thinking of how he must’ve suffered in his last moments of life.

‘The incident that took Robert’s life is constantly being replayed over and over again in my mind.

‘I feel like the impact of this has had an effect on me, I feel I have become far more withdrawn.

‘My work has also been affected, I engage less and I feel my memory has been affected.

‘Robert was a kind and loving brother who I will always remember within my heart.’

Otitodilchukwu and the 16-year-old, both of Dagenham, admitted manslaughter.