Homeless Woman Beaten to Death on Church Steps
Kieran Rifat, 22, with no fixed address, was sentenced for the savage killing of 41-year-old Kelly Stewart. Kelly had been seeking shelter on the steps outside Memorial Community Church on Barking Road when Rifat cruelly attacked her.
Brutal, Unprovoked Attack
The Old Bailey heard how Rifat spotted Kelly asleep early on 26 March last year. At around 1am, he approached and viciously beat her, stamping on her without any provocation. After the attack, he hid her battered body in a nearby alley.
Public Alarm Raises Murder Investigation
It wasn’t until a member of the public arrived at the church around 3:10pm the same day and noticed blood stains that police were alerted. A murder inquiry was launched immediately.
A post-mortem revealed Kelly died from multiple head and facial injuries.
The Met’s Specialist Crime North team, MIT8, chased CCTV leads but much footage was too poor to be useful. Rifat was known to Kelly through a homeless outreach centre, though there was no recorded personal connection between them.
Bloodied Clothes and No Regret
- Rifat was arrested on the street on 1 April 2020 by a Met proactive unit.
- Police found his blood-soaked striped top in the bath and freshly washed jeans in a Barking home the next day.
- He refused to comment during police interviews and offered no defence.
Rifat pleaded guilty to murder on 23 December 2020. On Thursday, he was sentenced to life behind bars, with a minimum of 17 years and 88 days, including time served.
