A 17-year-old, who cannot be named due to his age, has been jailed for the manslaughter of a 62-year-old man in Hanwell last year.
Police were called on 19 March 2023 at 12:50am to reports that a man had been assaulted on Boston Road near to the junction with Uxbridge Road in Hanwell where they discovered Jerald Netto on the pavement. Mr Netto was taken to hospital where he died later that day from his injuries.
A 16-year-old boy, who is now 17 was arrested near the scene. At the Old Bailey today (26 January 2024), he was sentenced to twelve months in custody and a further twelve months supervision in the community, as part of a Detention and Training Order of 24 months, for Mr Netto’s manslaughter.
Police investigations using CCTV inquiries revealed that at around 00:43am Mr Netto and the defendant’s group come together near a fast food restaurant on Uxbridge Road. The defendant then pulled Mr Netto’s trousers down which led to some tussling and pushing, resulting in Mr Netto falling down.
The CCTV footage showed there was further tussling before the defendant’s group begin walking away from Mr Netto who has been able to stand back up.
At one point Mr Netto is seen on CCTV to stop and lean in the doorway of a cafe on the corner of Uxbridge Road and Boston Road.
As Mr Netto appears to try to steady himself, the defendant walks past, before running up behind him, swiping Mr Netto’s legs and forcibly pushing him forward in a deliberate and violent act.
Mr Netto fell face first to the pavement. CCTV captures the moment the defendant skips over Mr Netto’s motionless body on the ground and runs off along Boston Road.
Members of the public found a motionless Mr Netto on the pavement and called police. Following his arrest not far from the scene the defendant was subsequently charged.
Mr Netto’s death was due to a hypoxic brain injury due to a prolonged cardiac arrest from commotio cerebri, arising from a fall.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, who led the investigation said: “Officers were on the scene within minutes and initially the suspect ran from them but he was quickly detained in a nearby garden. Our investigation showed that this tragic event began with a juvenile prank by the defendant and culminated with a deliberate assault which resulted in the death of Mr Netto.”
He added: “There is no excuse for this type of violence, the defendant was not acting in lawful self-defence and our enquiries soon established that his actions that evening were deliberate and disgraceful. My thoughts remain with Mr Netto’s family as they continue to come to terms with his death in such appalling circumstances. I know that this has been an incredibly difficult time for them and I hope that now legal proceedings have concluded, they can begin to find some peace.”
In a statement Mr Netto’s family said: “Jerald Netto was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, friend and neighbour. We are left scarred for life. We will never come to terms with what happened to him on that terrible night. In his last moments he was humiliated, taken advantage of, attacked and killed by a sadistic criminal. Our lives will never be the same, we miss him every day and will continue to as each day passes without him in our world.”
