Man (27) convicted over killing of Sligo-born man in London

A drug-dealer who smashed in the head of a Sligo-born man with a brick in a vicious attack following an argument on a London street last year has been found guilty of murder.

Malachi Lindo (27), of Bowles Green, Enfield in North London, was convicted at the Old Bailey of the brutal killing of Phillip Steels (51) near the victim's home in Enfield. He will be sentenced on Monday.

The victim had been in a long dispute with a neighbour, according to the Metropolitan Police, and had been drinking at home before he left after midnight in an angry temper.

Shortly afterwards, he got into a row with Lindo, though the two had never previously met. Mr Steels was thrown to the ground. Lindo, the court was told, then sat on him and battered his face with a brick that he had picked up nearby.

Lindo left Mr Steels in a pool of blood. He crossed the road and then sat yards away from the dead man with his back to a car, with his feet in the road, which caused a number of cars to swerve to avoid him.

Police arrived quickly. On seeing them, Lindo tried to flee, but he was captured immediately. Behaving erratically and babbling, he told the officers that he had taken a cocktail of drugs, including cannabis, cocaine and MDMA.

He spat at officers and then asked if he could go home saying: “I promise I won’t kill again”. Once it became known that the victim had died, Lindo was arrested for his murder.

A rucksack containing a large quantity of drugs and related paraphernalia which belonged to Lindo was found at the scene. Police have confirmed that he has since admitted that he was dealing in drugs.

Acting Detective Sergeant Mike Stubbins said: "This was a horrendous attack on an innocent member of the public, brought about by a complicated and confused individual being high on a cocktail of drugs."

Lindo told officers “that his mind started playing games and he felt he was in a parallel dimension”, said Stubbins, who said “an innocent member of the public has felt the wrath of a young man whose life had been unravelling”.