Man guilty of murder after victim dies 15 years on

A man has been found guilty of murder after his victim suffered an epileptic fit and died 15 years after being assaulted in Lewisham, south-east London.

Jordan Burton, now aged 33, was aged 14 when he caused a serious head injury to Daniel Allright, who was 16 at the time.

The court heard Allright suffered his first seizure six months after the attack in September 2006, and was prescribed medication, but his epilepsy worsened in the months before his death.

On Tuesday, Burton was found guilty of murder following a trial at the Old Bailey.

The court had heard how Allright was hit over the head with a piece of wood and bicycle chain during an attack by a group of youths.

Afterwards, he told police he had been on his bike with two friends after leaving his home in Oscar Street when a group of males tried to rob them in Friendly Gardens.

He later identified Burton, telling police he had asked if he wanted to fight, before being handed a piece of wood which he hit Allright with multiple times.

Two white males joined in the attack, hitting him with weapons while Allright tried to defend himself with his arms up, the court heard.

They all ran off when someone came out of a shop and told them to leave the victim alone.

Burton initially denied being involved but later pleaded guilty to violent disorder and unlawful wounding in 2008.

In March 2022, Allright died aged 31 at his home, having suffered a fatal epileptic seizure in the bathroom.

A post-mortem examination found no evidence Allright had drowned or suffered any natural disease, and post-traumatic epilepsy was found to be the cause of death.

During his murder trial, Burton denied wrongdoing, telling jurors that he had been pressurised into admitting the assault.

Burton, of Achilles Street, Lewisham, will be sentenced on Wednesday.

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