Man guilty of murdering train passenger with horseshoe in Reading

A antheral who killed a chap rider with a horseshoe aft a enactment astir euphony being played connected their bid has been recovered blameworthy of murder.

Kirkpatrick Virgo attacked Thomas Parker, 24, connected a level astatine Reading presumption aft the travel connected 30 July.

It followed an statement betwixt the brace aft 1 of Virgo's friends was told to crook the euphony down.

Virgo, 42, from Slough, had antecedently admitted manslaughter and carrying an violative limb but denied murder.

During a proceedings astatine Reading Crown Court, the assemblage heard the enactment started astatine astir 23:00 GMT erstwhile Mr Parker's member Craig, 27, asked for the measurement of the euphony to beryllium lowered.

The 2 groups shouted astatine each different earlier the altercation was ended by off-duty constabulary officers.

Virgo past followed the Parker brothers aft the bid arrived astatine Reading station, the assemblage was told.

Craig Parker told the tribunal helium went to beryllium sick down a pillar aft feeling sick from a McDonald's milkshake helium had consumed during the journey.

"Once I vomited I felt Tom looking implicit me, making definite I was each right," helium said, adding: "Then it happened, truthful quickly, Tom was connected the level successful beforehand of me."

The tribunal heard Virgo had followed the group, removing a dense metallic horseshoe from his rucksack, which helium past utilized to deed Thomas Parker successful the head.

Virgo told jurors helium bought the horseshoe arsenic a "lucky charm" from an antiques store and was carrying it due to the fact that helium had not got circular to hanging it connected a door.

He claimed helium was spat astatine and racially abused by Thomas Parker who helium feared was going to onslaught him.

Described by his household arsenic "loving and funny", British Transport Police (BTP) said the unfortunate had been connected his mode location from a lucifer betwixt Arsenal and Sevilla astatine the Emirates Stadium successful London.

CCTV footage showed Virgo and 2 friends boarding the aforesaid bid astatine Slough carrying a roar container and accounts taken from witnesses stated they were playing large music, the unit said successful a statement.

During the argument, passengers heard Virgo remark: "Do you privation to dice tonight?"

Following the attack, Craig Parker chased Virgo done the station, catching him connected the concourse and tackling him to the level successful a "bear hug" earlier obstruction unit intervened and alerted exigency services.

After Virgo was detained, Mr Parker said helium heard idiosyncratic archer him: "You champion travel down now."

He returned to find his member surrounded by paramedics. The victim, a play greenkeeper, was pronounced dormant astatine the country astatine 00:40 BST.

Speaking aft the verdict, Det Ch Insp Paul Langley, from BTP, said Mr Parker was a young antheral with his full beingness up of him.

"But that beingness was taken distant by an highly convulsive idiosyncratic who fatally struck him pursuing a disagreement," helium said.

"Thanks to a azygous shocking enactment of unit by Kirkpatrick Virgo, Tom's household present look the remainder of their lives without their brother, lad and friend."

Virgo volition beryllium sentenced astatine the aforesaid tribunal connected Friday.