Man detained for beating 87-year-old to death with walking stick

A man who beat an 87-year-old to death with his own walking stick in a random attack at a railway station in east London has been detained in psychiatric hospital.

Miles Sekai, 23, subjected Bernard Fowler to a “brutal” attack outside Harold Wood station in east London early on 27 February last year.

Sekai tried to gouge out Mr Fowler’s eyes, and then hit him over the head 19 times with his walking stick and stamped on his head eight times, the Old Bailey heard on Friday.

Mr Fowler, a retired mechanic, had gone to the station that day to pick up free newspapers for the community.

The court heard Sekai had travelled from Liverpool Street to Harold Wood Station and when asked to leave by station staff, replied: “Touch me and I will kill you.”

He then tried to book a taxi to Brent Cross but when a cab driver arrived at the station to pick him up, they missed each other.

Prosecution barrister Benjamin Aina KC told the court that CCTV showed Mr Fowler at about 03:50 GMT walking towards the station, before the defendant approached him and began the attack just after 04:00.

Footage showed Sekai kick Mr Fowler in the head, pick up his walking stick, and hit him on the head “with force”.

Mr Aina said: “Mr Fowler is hit to the head 19 times. The defendant then stamps on Mr Fowler’s head eight times. The attack is truly shocking and appalling.”

Sekai walked away but returned and stood over him in a “triumphant stance”, Mr Aina added.

When police arrived, he ran off holding the bloody stick in one hand and his trainers in the other, and was arrested after a struggle.