A 67-year-old man died after being punched during a confrontation on Balham High Road in southwest London, and a 37-year-old man has been charged with murder, the Old Bailey heard on Wednesday.
Prosecutors told the court that James Gbadamosi was with his partner outside a Costa Coffee on 24 August when he became upset about a young boy riding a Lime rental bike on the pavement. Prosecutor Ben Holt said the incident occurred "a little after 3pm" and that Mr Gbadamosi told the boy he should be on the road, not the pavement. "He told him he shouldn’t be on the pavement and should be on the road and then had an exchange with a woman who said 'you think you’re a big man shouting at a child'," Mr Holt said.
The prosecutor said the woman walked away, sat on a bench and made a telephone call before Andre Wright-Walters, 37, arrived and confronted Mr Gbadamosi. Mr Holt told the court that Wright-Walters slapped and punched the pensioner, then punched him twice in the face, knocking him to the ground where he hit his head on the pavement. Mr Gbadamosi was taken to hospital by emergency services and died on 5 September.
Wright-Walters, described in court as bearded and from Avery Hill, Greenwich, appeared via video link from HMP Wandsworth and confirmed his name and date of birth. He was initially arrested on 27 August and charged with causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a Class A drug after cocaine was discovered during a search of a property, the court was told. He was re-arrested on 6 September following Mr Gbadamosi’s death and charged with murder.
A woman in her 30s was arrested on 27 August on suspicion of conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm and was re-arrested on 6 September on suspicion of conspiracy to commit murder; she has been bailed pending further enquiries, the prosecution said.
Judge Sarah Munro, KC, remanded Wright-Walters in custody ahead of a plea and trial preparation hearing listed for 26 November. A provisional three-week trial has been set to begin on 26 May next year. Mr Gbadamosi’s family are being supported by specialist officers, the court heard.
The charges and dates were read to the court at a hearing on Wednesday. Wright-Walters had previously appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates’ Court where he was granted bail on the initial offences before Mr Gbadamosi’s condition deteriorated and he died. The Crown Prosecution Service will now prepare for the forthcoming hearings and any further investigations by the Metropolitan Police.
The case highlights tensions that can arise from disputes in public spaces, and the criminal proceedings will examine the events that led to Mr Gbadamosi’s fatal injuries. The Old Bailey will oversee the next stages of the prosecution as the matter moves towards a plea and, if entered, trial.