Good Samaritan killer gets life

A failed asylum seeker who beat a Good Samaritan to death after being invited to his home in south-east London has been jailed for life at the Old Bailey.

Mossabe Belhocine, 19, attacked David Cooper in his flat in Calderwood Street, Woolwich, last November before ransacking the property.

Belhocine, of Walthamstow, east London, was caught after using Mr Cooper's Oyster card on the Tube.

He was ordered to serve a minimum term of 24 years.

Mr Cooper, 28, invited Belhocine to stay the night at his flat when he said he had nowhere else to go.

But within moments, Belhocine had beaten Mr Cooper so ferociously that pathologists found the mark of his shoe imprinted on the victim's face.

A post mortem examination showed Mr Cooper died as a result of head injuries.

The jury rejected Belhocine's claim he had only reacted to sexual advances by Mr Cooper.

Judge Stephen Kramer told him: "You took advantage of him. You are a man who preys at night on people."

One witness told the court that Belhocine boasted to her that he was a robber and went out late at night to central London where he would find vulnerable people under the influence of alcohol.

Belhocine was identified from CCTV footage and later located following help from Transport for London in allowing access to their records.

After serving his sentence he will be deported back to Algeria.

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