A KILLER who battered a pensioner to death on his doorstep in a vicious attack has been jailed for 20 years.
Franklin Agbotui, 79, was savagely beaten outside his flat in Plaistow, East London, in May 2024 and later died from horror injuries.
Sign up for The Jattvibe newsletter
Thank you!
Franklin Agbotui, 79, was savagely beaten to death on his doorstep in May 2024 Credit: MET POLICE/UNPIXS
Philip Fraczek, 22, was on bail when he launched the ‘ferocious’ attack Credit: MET POLICE/UNPIXS
Polish national, Philip Fraczek, 22, was on bail when he launched the attack after Mr Agbotui caught him sleeping in the corridor outside his home.
Just nine days earlier, Fraczek had broken into the home of two young women and threatened to kill them while trying to get into their bedrooms.
Mr Agbotui died five days later at Royal London Hospital after sustaining a severe brain injury and fractures to his spine and ribs.
Following the attack, Fraczek fled the scene and head butted a police officer who eventually caught up with him.
SMASH TRAGEDY
Man, 20, dies after crash on motorway as car ‘flipped onto its roof’
CITY OF TRASH
UK city’s 400 DAY bin strike with mounds of rubbish & giant rats due to END
After attempting to flee the scene, he head butted a police officer Credit: MET POLICE/UNPIXS
Philip Fraczek was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 20 years Credit: MET POLICE/UNPIXS
He admitted murder and two counts of making threats to kill.
Jailing Fraczek for life with a minimum term of 20 years and four months, Judge Oscar Del Fabbro said the attack had been “ferocious”.
He said: “This was a prolonged and vicious attack with repeated stamping and kicking. Your victim would have been defenceless against such ferocity.
“A nearly 80-year-old man being attacked by a strong, aggressive, young 20-year-old.
“This was on any view a senseless and pointless killing of a totally innocent man.
“It was a result of your aggressive and violent temperament and the rage you were showing to anyone that crossed your path.”
Prosecutor Eloise Marshall, KC, said the victim was “brutally attacked in his own home by this defendant”.
“At the time of the attack the two men were entirely unknown to each other and at time of the attack Mr Fraczek was was drunk,” she said.
At 1.30pm on May 15, a resident had heard someone banging downstairs attempting to gain access to the building.
He went downstairs to discover Fraczek who claimed he was a decorator working in the building – the neighbour said he was clearly drunk and smelt strongly of alcohol.
Another neighbour reported a knock on the door from Fraczek who was drunk and behaving aggressively – half an hour later, he was spotted asleep on the floor.
A neighbour called the police for the second time but Mr Agbotui then told Fraczek to leave before calling the police himself.
Ms Marshall said: “The neighbour who lived opposite told officers she had heard what she described as spluttering and then a man shouting.
“She said the man was attacking Franklin who was trying to defend himself.
“She said she could hear banging, screaming, ‘like they’re strangling him and they are killing him’.”
After the attack Fraczek went downstairs and knocked on another neighbours door who let him in and tried to tell him about places he could stay.
When police arrived they found the back door was broken and the premises in disarray.
“Amongst the disarray the deceased lay lifeless, face down and the officers could see he was covered in blood,” Ms Marshall continued.
“His whole shirt had been ripped from behind and there was blood on it. The injuries were so severe police didn’t believe he was still alive at the time.”
Police commenced CPR after they still heard breathing.
A neighbour then spotted Fraczek fleeing the block and alerted the police who caught him two streets away.
He appeared to be “under the influence of something” while his knuckles were covered in “fresh blood”.
Mr Franczek “shouted at the officers to f*** off” before he head-butted one of them.
Mr Agbotui was born in Ghana in 1944 before having a successful career in the merchant navy, becoming a captain.
He was described as a “committed Christian” who was very popular with his neighbours and would looks after plants in the block.
Mr Agbotui’s son Isaac Agbotui said: “Our father lived a quiet humble life, grounded in dignity, respect, perseverance, education and faith.
“He led by example and he was deeply present in our lives officers guidance and a constant steady sense of support. He was an active and valued member of his church community.”
Stan Reiz, KC, defending, said that Fraczek was sorry to Mr Agbotui’s family and would never act in that way sober.
“But he accepts those were his actions and takes responsibility for those actions and accepts whatever punishment,” he said.
He added that Fraczek, who was born in England but lived in Poland for some of his childhood, was bullied at schools and began abusing alcohol, suffering from mental health issues throughout his life.
Fraczek, of Forest Gate, admitted murder and two counts of making threats to kill while it was also revealed that he has a conviction for ABH in Poland.
