Three face trial for East Ham killing

TWO men accused of robbing and killing a father-of-four outside a 24-hour shop denied murder at the Old Bailey last week (18/2).

Sellathurai Easwaran, 40, died of head injuries the day after being attacked in the street in East Ham, on November 6 last year.

He was found lying on the ground near the Akgul Foodstore at 347 Barking Road by police officers at 3am and was taken to hospital.

He was allowed to return home later that morning but was found dead at his home at St Winefride’s Avenue, Manor Park, at 11.20am the next day.

Giovanni Castro, 20, of Keppel Road, East Ham, Daniel Torres, 19, of Percy Road, Canning Town, and Christian Bustillos, 23, of Khartoum Road, Plaistow, appeared in court for a plea and case management hearing.

Castro and Bustillos both pleaded not guilty to charges of murder and robbery.

Torres is expected to enter his pleas when they all return to court on April 14.

Judge Peter Thornton QC set the trial for May 9 this year. It is expected to last three weeks.All three men were remanded in custody.