we have pix of nugent and dead man thomas Two y

we have pix of nugent and dead man thomas

Two young killers were locked up for life today (Fri) for battering to death a young drinker who dared to complain when they shone a laser pen in his eyes.

Ryan Nugent and his pal Michael Savva, then both 19, armed themselves with bats and blades before mercilessly attacking cleaner Grahame Thomas, 21, following the trivial incident in their local pub.

Using his mobile phone, ginger haired Nugent recruited pals including Savva to help attack Mr Thomas and his friend Richard Shillibeer, 30, when they left the pub.

Mr Thomas, from north London, was left lying on the pavement with his eye hanging from its socket and died several days later.

Mr Shillibeer was surrounded and stabbed but survived the violent attack.

Passing sentence Judge Martin Stephens, QC said: ‘The killing of Mr Thomas was a foul and brutal attack.

‘It was planned in advance by you Ryan Nugent following a minor confrontation in the Linden Tree pub which you started by shining a laser beam at Mr Thomas.

‘You actively encouraged the attack and were close by when it happened, lending your full weight and support.

‘You Michael Savva, were actively engaged in encouraging the attack on Mr Thomas as the jury has found.

‘So far as the attack on Mr Shillibeer was concerned it was part and parcel of the pre planned attack in the two pen.

‘You Savva were one of the prominent attackers of Mr Shillibeer who was stabbed three times.

‘

Savva, wearing a blue plastic crucifix given to him by a prison visitor shook his head sadly then burst into tears as he was led to the cells.

Both he and Nugent were found guilty by the jury of murder and murder and wounding with intent.

The two victims, both cleaners, had been drinking in the Litten Tree, in Holloway Road, north London, on June 16, last year to start their weekend.

The two friends became annoyed when trainee carpenter Nugent childishly began shining a red laser beam in their eyes from his toy pen.

Mr Thomas complained to Nugent who shrugged them away saying it was an accident.

‘What followed was a combination of drinking, aggressive pride and pure loutish behaviour,’ said prosecutor Mark Dennis.

There followed a series of stares, looks and pointing by Nugent.

After a heated argument Nugent began making plans to ambush the two by calling friends on his mobile phone and approaching pals who were drinking at the crowded pub – including Michael Savva.

The two victims left the pub at around 8.

15pm where they were immediately faced by an aggressive mob of around nine youths including Nugent and Savva.

Mr Shillibeer, who survived the attack, described the horror of the attack.

‘As we walked out of the pub we were not aware of any problems and were certainly not expecting any trouble.

‘I was horrified to see a line of six youths walking towards us.

They looked ready and had aggression on their faces.

‘I turned around back towards the pub to look for a safer passage but was confronted by Nugent and others.

‘I turned around again and made a run for it.

I shouted to Grahame to run but as I looked over my shoulder I could see about seven of the youths kicking him on the ground.

‘

Witnesses watched helplessly as Mr Thomas was repeatedly battered and slashed in the face and body with baseball bats and a machete.

One witness, Lorraine Dicks, said: ‘They just started booting him in the head.

‘The young man on the floor couldn’t do anything – he just lay there taking the beating, he didn’t have a chance.

‘He couldn’t scream for help and couldn’t even lift his arms up to protect his head.

‘When the gang dispersed I went to see the man on the floor.

His face was a mess, one of his eyes was on his cheek.

‘

Mr Thomas lapsed into a coma from which he would never recover.

Mr Shillibeer was pursued by the mob who caught him and then stabbed him in the head, leg and abdomen narrowly missing a major organ probably saving his life.

He sustained horrific stab wounds but escaped with his life finding haven in the nearby Jailhouse pub where he raised the alarm.

‘When I got into the pub, I was very shaken and just started screaming for help,’ he said.

The two each denied murder but were found guilty by a jury of 10-2 majority.

They also denied wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm but Nugent – of Honey Lane, Waltham Abbey, Essex – was found guilty by 11-1 majority.

Savva, of Hectoridge Road, Tunbridge, Kent, who has just turned 20, was found guilty on a unanimous verdict.

Mr Henri Grunwald, QC, defending Nugent said: ‘What happened last year was a tragedy for all concerned.

‘That tragic and unfortunate death was not the intended outcome.

‘

Mr Edward Rees, QC, said the incident has stunned on Savva’s hard working Greek parents who run a successful bakery

‘This trial has also had a the most profound effect upon Mr Savva,’ Mr Rees said.

‘He is in bits.

I have rarely encountered a defendant who is in a worse state.

‘
ends