Vigilante gets life sentence for murdering disabled man

**bb1** Thu Nov 28, 2013 4:13 pm

http://news.sky.com/story/1174930/life-for-killing-man-mistaken-for-paedophile

Life For Killing Man Mistaken For Paedophile

Victim Bijan Ebrahimi's family say he was subjected to hate crimes for years due to his race and his physical disability.

By Isabel Webster, West of England Correspondent
A man has been jailed for life with a minimum term of 18 years for the brutal murder of an innocent man he mistook for a paedophile.

Lee James, 24, admitted killing 44-year-old Bijan Ebrahimi, from Iran, outside the victim's home in Bristol on July 14, 2013 in what the judge described as an "act of murderous injustice".

A second man, Steven Norley, 25, was jailed for four years at Bristol Crown Court for assisting an offender after he admitted helping to burn Mr Ebrahimi's body.

Both were near neighbours of the murdered man.

Mr Ebrahimi was a vulnerable, disabled man who was devoted to his garden and was mistaken for a paedophile by his neighbours when he was seen taking pictures of young people who were damaging his plants.

On July 11 a crowd had reportedly gathered outside his home in Capgrave Crescent, Brislington, calling him a "paedo" and the police arrested Mr Ebrahimi for breach of the peace.

Neighbour Beryl Smith recalled: "I said it's weird. A man out there taking pictures of children and leaning out the window then running in the house and shutting the door.

"The neighbours, by all accounts were shouting 'get out of here you dirty paedo'. Now he could have said 'its of your children damaging my plants'."

Mr Ebrahimi was released without charge the following day, but two days later, in the early hours of Sunday, he was beaten unconscious outside his home by James.

Andrew Langdon QC, prosecuting, told the court how James repeatedly stamped on the head of Mr Ebrahimi, inflicting fatal injuries.

"Following that attack Lee James and Steven Norley dragged Mr Ebrahimi's body about 100 yards out of the crescent on to the verge of a neighbouring road before they poured white spirit over the body and set fire to it."

The case raised serious questions about whether the authorities did enough to protect a vulnerable man after it emerged that Mr Ebrahimi was well known to Avon and Somerset Police, Bristol City Council and to a Bristol-based hate-crime charity SARI.

Speaking after the sentencing, Mr Ebrahimi's sister, Mrs Manizhah Moores said: "The question that now must be answered is whether Bijan's death could have been avoided had he been afforded the protection from the authorities he deserved.

"Lessons must be learned before other vulnerable lives are lost."

Avon and Somerset Chief Constable Nick Gargan issued an apology after the tragedy, saying: "Mr Ebrahimi was someone who deserved the protection of all of us and we are very sorry about what happened to him."

Mr Gargan's apology continued: "The IPCC are carrying out a thorough investigation into the events that led to his death and we await their findings.

"Even before we hear their final conclusions, it's clear there are steps that we can collectively take to keep vulnerable people in our communities safe from harm."

The IPCC have questioned six officers over their handling of the case, three under police caution. All were served notices of gross misconduct and three have been suspended on full pay.

Today the IPCC confirmed they have also questioned six civilian staff from the constabulary who are believed to be call-handlers.

Bristol City Council has also launched a review into the case.

--------

Hope the anti-McCann lynch mob pays heed.