Uber Eats driver, 46, 'kicked to death by gang' while protecting moped outside cafe

An Uber Eats driver trying to protect his moped from being stolen was beaten and kicked to death by a gang, the Old Bailey has heard.

Iderval Da Silva, 46, rushed over to his vehicle when he saw a 16-year-old boy attempting to steal it outside the Primo cafe in Battersea on 25 May this year, jurors were told.

After Mr Da Silva pushed the teenager away, the boy allegedly fought back with Jasire Frazer, 18, Jaden Richards, 19, and three others who cannot be named.

Brazilian-born Mr Da Silva, who served in his country’s army and taught martial arts, suffered catastrophic brain injuries after allegedly being punched and kicked to the ground.

He was treated by neurosurgeons at King’s College Hospital, Camberwell, but was pronounced dead three days later.

Prosecutor Tony Badenoch QC said: “It was momentary explosion of short-lived violence that killed Mr Da Silva.

“It is clear from all of their actions, before, at the time, and after, that Mr Da Silva was really of no concern to them other than for their own purposes.

“Mr Da Silva was protecting his scooter in this Battersea area. He was eating with a group of friends.

‘All of the defendants were together nearby in the general area of the ‘Vibes’ cafe. That was an area they knew very well.

“Witnesses know these defendants by sight, having seen them on many occasions previously outside ‘Vibes’ café.”

Detailing what happened at the moment of the attack, Mr Badenoch went on: “[The 16-year-old] got off his bike, went to the moped and tried to steal it. He got onto the scooter and had both of his hands on the handlebar grips trying to start it.

“Mr Da Silva saw this and went quickly to seek to prevent him from stealing it, by pushing him off it.

“The response from [the 16-year-old] was not to leave him to his own property but to punch him repeatedly.

“The co-defendants all arrived quickly and joined in by punching and kicking or assisting and encouraging this attack by their very presence; whilst Mr Da Silva was both on his feet and latterly when he was on the floor.”

Richards, of Wandsworth, and Frazer, of Battersea, along with two boys aged 16 and two aged 17, all from south London, all deny murder.

The trial continues.