Greenford: Mobility scooter murder accused appears in court

Thomas O'Halloran, originally from Co Clare in the west of Ireland, was a passionate musician

A man accused of repeatedly stabbing an elderly mobility scooter rider has appeared at the Old Bailey.

Lee Byer, 44, is charged with murdering Thomas O'Halloran, 87, in Greenford, west London, in what a prosecutor described as a "vicious attack".

Mr O'Halloran was found with multiple stab wounds between Runneymede Gardens and Welland Gardens on 16 August.

Mr Byer, of no fixed address, is set to appear at the same court for a plea hearing on 8 November.

He is also charged with possessing a large knife. Judge Mark Lucraft QC remanded him into custody.

A post-mortem examination found grandfather Mr O'Halloran, who was well-known in his community, had sustained multiple stab wounds to the neck, chest and abdomen.

A member of a public who found the injured man in his scooter called 999.

The police arrived to find Mr O'Halloran had collapsed and was being helped by members of the public. Paramedics took over but he died at the scene.

Thomas O'Halloran is survived by his family, including his sister, two brothers, nieces and nephews

Mr O'Halloran, originally from Co Clare in the west of Ireland, was a passionate musician and has been described as "very popular" in Greenford, often busking for charity.

Footage on social media shows him busking to raise money for Ukraine months before the killing.

He is survived by his family, including his sister, two brothers, nieces and nephews.

Fine Gael senator Martin Conway said Mr O'Halloran visited Ireland regularly and that his death had left his home community in Ennistymon in "deep shock and sadness".

"Tommy, as he was known, left Ennistymon for London 71 years ago but travelled home almost every year until about 10 years ago," he said.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]