Ashraf Rossli was attacked during the London riots. File picture: Nick Ansell/PA Wire

Teenager who attacked Malaysian student during riots has appeal thrown out

Friday, October 12, 2012
3:24 PM

A teenager who carried out a “terrible” attack on a Malaysian student during the London riots has had an appeal against the length of his sentence thrown out by leading judges.

Beau Isagba, 17, of Ilford, was found guilty of assaulting Ashraf Rossli, two counts of burglary and two counts of violent disorder.

Three Court of Appeal judges rejected argument that a seven-year term of detention imposed on 18-year-old Beau Isagba, from Ilford, was “much too long”.

Isagba’s attack on Ashraf Rossli, 20, broke his jaw in two places. It preceded a second crime in which items were taken from the victim’s rucksack by two other individuals who appeared at first to be helping Mr Rossli.

The incident was filmed and put on YouTube, prompting widespread condemnation.

Mr Rossli, 20, had been in Britain for just a month when he was set upon as looting swept the country in August 2011.

The accountancy student was cycling to help a scared female friend in Barking when he was punched in the face.

Lord Justice Moses, Mr Justice Wilkie and Mr Justice Lindblom dismissed Isagba’s sentence challenge today, ruling that the seven years was not “manifestly excessive”.

It was a “targeted” and “terrible” attack on a “vulnerable individual”, said Lord Justice Moses.

Isagba was found guilty of grievous bodily harm with intent and robbery following a trial at Wood Green Crown Court earlier this year.

He had admitted a charge of violent disorder and two counts of burglary.

In May a judge sentenced him to seven years for the attack on Mr Rossli, with no separate penalty for the other offences - which varied the sentence he had earlier imposed on Isagba in March.