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Teenager jailed for attacking Malaysian student during London riots

PUBLISHED March 9, 2012
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Beau Isagba, 18, who broke Ashraf Rossli's jaw in two places and stole his bike sentenced to seven years in prison

An 18-year-old man has been jailed for a total of seven years for attacking a Malaysian student during the London riots and other offences.

Beau Isagba's attack on Ashraf Rossli, 20, which broke his jaw in two places, preceded a second crime in which items were taken from the victim's rucksack by a group posing as Good Samaritans. The incident was filmed and put on YouTube, prompting widespread condemnation.

Judge Witold Pawlak, sitting at Wood Green crown court in north London, said that 54 months of the total of 84 months he was imposing, to be served in a young offenders' institution, were for the attack on Rossli.

He told Isagba he could expect to be released after 42 months, with the remainder to be served on licence.

Rossli, 20, had been in Britain for just a month when he was set upon as looting swept the country last August.

The accountancy student had been on his way to help a scared female friend when he was punched in the face.

Isagba was found guilty of grievous bodily harm and robbery after a trial last month.

He had admitted a charge of violent disorder and two counts of burglary, all committed the same day.

Rossli was cycling along a flyover in Barking, east London, when he and a friend, Sheikh Azher, were attacked on 8 August.

The student did not see Isagba when he launched the assault, and after punching the victim, Isagba was seen riding off on the bike.

In the second crime against Rossli, John Kafunda, 22, was caught on camera helping the injured student up and appearing to shepherd him from trouble.

However, within seconds he and Reece Donovan, 22, began rifling through Rossli's rucksack while his back was turned and robbed him of a PSP games console and 10 games worth ?500.

The men were unanimously convicted of robbery and violent disorder by a jury at the same court last week.

The judge imposed a 54-month sentence for Isagba's attack on Rossli, and the same term concurrently for robbery.

But he said that was in addition to a total of 30 months for the other offences he had committed.

He said: "This sentence will, I hope, make other like-minded people think before they behave in a similar way to you, and also reassure the public and visitors to our country that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated."

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