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'Vile' trio stalked victim through Southwark streets before beating him to death

Three “vile” men who stalked their victim through the streets of Southwark before beating him to death in broad daylight have been convicted of manslaughter.

Chilling CCTV footage shows Reginald Ofei-Berko, 26, walking unaware through Walworth last summer – hours before his death.

His killers - Daniel Murphy, 20, Leon Dixon, 37, and Mason Adrien-Dixon, 22 – can be seen following him, one after the other.

Mr Ofei-Berko, from Southwark, eventually sat down with two men on a bench in Penrose Grove. But while they were talking, two others appeared from round the corner and charged towards the bench.

Reginald Ofei-Berko died in the attack last August (Met Police)
Reginald Ofei-Berko died in the attack last August (Met Police)

The victim was punched relentlessly, dragged into the road and beaten again while lying “helplessly” on the tarmac.

One of the men was heard to say: "You won't do that again".

Daniel Murphy was found guilty of manslaughter (Met Police)
Daniel Murphy was found guilty of manslaughter (Met Police)

After running off to a waiting car, one of the attackers returned yet again to kick the defenceless victim in the stomach.

Police said the pre-planned attack may have been motivated by a theft from a relative of one of the attackers.

Mason Adrien-Dixon, 22, pleaded guilty to manslaughter (Met Police)
Mason Adrien-Dixon, 22, pleaded guilty to manslaughter (Met Police)

Paramedics carried out CPR on Mr Ofei-Berko at the scene but he was pronounced dead at King’s College Hospital just after 4.30pm.

Detective Inspector Ken Hughes, of the Met's Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “Reginald Ofei-Berko was stalked through the streets by this group of people determined to do him harm.

Leon Dixon, 37, from Crawley, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter (Met Police)
Leon Dixon, 37, from Crawley, also pleaded guilty to manslaughter (Met Police)

“He was caught in a pre-planned trap, then beaten and kicked to death while he lay helpless. It was a vile and deliberate attack that was carried out in the street in front of horrified members of the public.

"We believe the attack may have been motivated by a theft from a relative of one of the attackers, but the consequences were out of all proportion. Now a family and friends have been left devastated by the senseless death of a young man."

John Gillespie, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit affray (Met Police)
John Gillespie, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit affray (Met Police)

The fourth man, John Gillespie, 43, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit affray at the same hearing at the Old Bailey on Tuesday.

A woman, Dipa Modhwadia, 36, of Southwark, also pleaded guilty to assisting an offender after she drove some of the attackers away following the incident on August 26.

Dipa Modhwadia, 36, of Southwark, also pleaded guilty to assisting an offender after she drove some of the attackers away following the incident (Met Police)
Dipa Modhwadia, 36, of Southwark, also pleaded guilty to assisting an offender after she drove some of the attackers away following the incident (Met Police)

Murphy, Dixon and Adrien-Dixon will all be sentenced for manslaughter at the Old Bailey on March 14.