Man Jailed for Manslaughter After Fatal Fight Over Taxi
Serhiy Pelykh was sentenced to five years in prison on Friday, 18 June at Isleworth Crown Court following a retrial. His earlier trial in February 2020 ended with no verdict.
The Tragic Night That Ended in Death
The drama unfolded on Sunday, 16 June 2019, when police were called to a north London hospital. Stepan Suslyk had been rushed there by London Ambulance Service with a serious head injury. Sadly, he died two days later without regaining consciousness.
A post-mortem at Fulham Mortuary confirmed blunt trauma to the head as the cause of death.
From Night Out to Nightmare
Both men, who were Ukrainian, spent 16 June at the Ukrainian Social Club on Holland Park Avenue – but they didn’t know each other before that evening.
Witnesses said Pelykh and Stepan left the club together after Pelykh agreed to help Stepan get home to Greenford. But tensions flared as they searched for a taxi.
Pelykh punched Stepan at least once, knocking him to the ground. Instead of seeking help, Pelykh told bystanders Stepan had simply fallen because he’d drunk too much. He kept up this lie for about an hour before arranging a taxi to take Stepan home.
Pelykh even travelled with Stepan in the taxi, then left him with Stepan’s housemate. When questioned by police, Pelykh denied any involvement in the fatal injury.
Justice Delivered
Pelykh was arrested on 20 June 2019 for murder suspicion. He gave no comment during interviews but later submitted a prepared statement claiming self-defence. The jury wasn’t convinced. He was charged and convicted of Stepan’s manslaughter.
Detective Inspector Maria Green: “The death of Stepan Suslyk was tragic, unnecessary and wholly avoidable. All he wanted to do was get home after spending the evening socialising with friends.
Instead, Serhiy Pelykh’s violent actions have robbed a wife of her husband and two children of their father. I hope that this conviction has brought some justice for Stepan and his family, but of course it will never bring him back.”
