LOCAL FIREFIGHTERS thought they were going to a routine incident when they were called out, in the early morning on Monday, 29th May, to deal with a car which had caught fire in an Ilford car park.
Within minutes of their arrival, they had called the police – as they found a man’s body near the vehicle. He had died from “blunt force trauma” – and police began a murder hunt. The victim was later identified as Hassaman Ettakkal, 54.
That investigation concluded at the Old Bailey on Tuesday this week, when Adil Mahmood, 37, of London Road, Mitcham, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for manslaughter and 18 months for arson – the sentences to run concurrently.
Mahmood had pleaded guilt to those offences at a hearing at the end of November. This week the Judge also made a hospital direction under Section 45a of the Mental Health Act, requiring Mahmood to continue to receive hospital treatment.
The police were pleased with the outcome. DI Michael Dougall, who led the investigation, said, “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences Mahmood has committed and takes into consideration his guilty plea coupled with the professional medical treatment he needs.”
•Full story: Can you help find Ilford killer?
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