Nine migration-background men have been sentenced for a brutal and unprovoked series of violent assaults including “acid” attacks, described as “homophobic” by the media.
The men were sentenced for a variety of offences at Wood Green Crown Court, which left one victim with a fractured eye socket and corrosive burns to his eye, according to an official statement from the Metropolitan Police Force.
The gang had been administering a “ferocious” beating to an unidentified male when a group exiting a nearby club tried to intervene, with one of them attempting to film the assault on his mobile phone.
The attackers “took exception to this”, according to the police statement, “kicking [the young man with the phone] to the ground” and attempting to take it from him.
As the situation escalated, one of the gang — Huseyin Onel — went to his car and retrieved a white bottle which he used to attack the Good Samaritans with a corrosive substance, “calmly… spraying liquid at their faces as they attempted to flee.”
Two other members of the gang, Mehmet Tekagac and Onur Ardic, were also directly involved in the use of a corrosive substance on one of the victims.
“The suspects then got into three cars and drove from the scene, shouting homophobic comments at members of the group, and that they ‘run Hackney’,” the statement reports.
“The level of violence used in this attack, coupled with the speed that this incident escalated, are truly shocking,” commented Detective Constable David Leitner, who led the investigation into the attack.
“A group of people who were enjoying themselves at the end of a night out were subjected to a sustained and relentless wave of violence including the use of a corrosive substance — because they acted as Good Samaritans to help a male being subjected to a vicious assault,” he added.
“The original victim who was attacked by the group has never been traced but I hope he, and all those who were set upon by this violent group of individuals, will take some comfort from the fact that this group has been convicted.”
The gang have been identified and sentenced as follows:
Huseyin Onel, 24 (30/03/94) of no fixed abode, but from the Hackney area, was sentenced to 17 years in prison for applying a noxious substance causing grievous bodily harm (GBH), plus an additional three years on extended licence. Onel was sentenced to nine years each for six counts of casting a noxious substance and three years for violent disorder to run concurrently.
Mehmet Tekagac, 30 (03/09/88) of Kenworthy Road, E9 was sentenced to 14-and-a-half years in prison for applying a noxious substance causing GBH, plus an additional three years on extended licence. To run concurrently, Tekagac was sentenced to eight years for robbery and three years for violent disorder.
Onur Ardic, 27 (02/11/91) of Frampton Park Road, E9 was sentenced to 14 years in prison for applying a noxious substance causing GBH plus three years on extended licence. He was also sentenced to three years for violent disorder to run concurrently.
Guven Ulas, 20 (21/12/98) of Pultney Street, N1, was sentenced to 30 months in prison for violent disorder.
Mustafa Kiziltan, 30 (10/09/88) of no fixed abode, but from the Hackney area, was sentenced to a total of three years in prison – 27 months for violent disorder and nine months for dangerous driving. He was also sentenced to three months for failing to stop, this will run concurrently.
Serkan Kiziltan, 22 (03/11/96) of Well Street, E9, was sentenced to 18 months for violent disorder.
Umit Kaygisiz, 21 (26/12/97) of Orsman Road, N1, was sentenced to a total of 28 months in prison for violent disorder and attempting to convey a prohibited item into prison (namely a mobile phone).
Yasam Erdogan, 24 (24/11/94) of Nightingale Road, N1, was sentenced to 18 months for violent disorder, suspended for two years.
Turgut Adakan, 23 (20/06/95) of Roman Road, E6, was sentenced to 18 months for violent disorder, suspended for two years.
It is typical for the mainstream media — and sometimes the authorities themselves — to add up multiple sentences for gang members like this, in order to report that they have been sentenced to “a total” number of years “behind bars” which appears appropriately severe.
However, it should be noted that for individuals sentenced to multiple terms “to run concurrently” — i.e. simultaneously — only the longest one is actually served in any meaningful sense.
Moreover, it is typical for criminals in the United Kingdom to be released on licence automatically halfway or, more rarely, two-thirds of the way through all non-life “custodial” sentences, further reducing the time actually spent in prison.
“Suspended” sentences, while counted as custodial for statistical purposes, are not in fact served in prison at all, unless the convict commits another crime within a set timeframe — and sometimes not even then.