A 16-year-old boy, who has since turned 17 and cannot be named due to his age, has been sentenced to 24 months in custody, including twelve months in custody and an additional twelve months of supervision in the community, for the manslaughter of 62-year-old Jerald Netto in Ealing. The tragic incident occurred in the early hours of Sunday, March 19.
Police were alerted to the assault on Boston Road, near the junction with Uxbridge Road, W7, shortly after 12.50am. Within just five minutes, officers arrived at the scene and swiftly apprehended the suspect. The victim, Jerald Netto, was rushed to the hospital following the assault, but he succumbed to his injuries later that day.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, who led the investigation, stated, “Our investigation showed that this tragic event began with a juvenile prank by the defendant and culminated with a deliberate assault which resulted in the death of Mr Netto. There is no excuse for this type of violence, the defendant was not acting in lawful self-defence, and our inquiries soon established that his actions that evening were deliberate and disgraceful.”
Extensive CCTV footage was reviewed during the investigation, shedding light on the events leading up to the tragic incident. At approximately 12.43am, Mr Netto and the defendant’s group were observed near a fast-food restaurant on Uxbridge Road. The defendant’s actions escalated from pulling down Mr. Netto’s trousers to a physical altercation that ultimately led to Mr. Netto’s fall. The CCTV footage captured the moment when the defendant pushed Mr Netto forward in a deliberate and violent act, causing him to fall face-first to the pavement.
Members of the public who discovered Mr Netto on the pavement called the police, leading to the arrest of the defendant not far from the scene.
Mr Netto’s cause of death was determined to be a hypoxic brain injury resulting from a prolonged cardiac arrest due to commotio cerebri arising from the fall.
In a heartfelt statement, Mr. Netto’s family expressed their enduring grief and the profound impact of his tragic death on their lives. They stated, “Jerald Netto was a loving son, husband, father, grandfather, uncle, cousin, friend, and neighbour. We are left scarred for life. We will never come to terms with what happened to him on that terrible night. In his last moments, he was humiliated, taken advantage of, attacked, and killed by a sadistic criminal. Our lives will never be the same, we miss him every day and will continue to as each day passes without him in our world.
The family has requested the release of the CCTV footage capturing the entirety of the incident, including the moment Mr Netto was fatally pushed, as they continue to grapple with the loss of their loved one.
