Cardiff: 32 years jail for North Road van driver murder

Christopher El Gifari has been sentenced to life in prison

A robber who murdered a parcel delivery driver with his own van has been jailed for life.

Christopher El Gifari, 31, drove almost half a mile along North Road in Cardiff with Mark Lang, 54, trapped underneath the van.

Mr Lang died 18 days after sustaining severe injuries to his body and brain.

Judge Mr Justice Griffiths said El Gifari, of Aberdare, Rhondda Cynon Taf, must serve at least 32 years before he can be considered for parole.

He was found guilty of murder and robbery last Thursday, after a trial at Cardiff Crown Court.

El Gifari had previously denied murder but pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the opening day of his trial.

The sentence for robbery was 10 years to be served concurrently with the life sentence.

Five of the twelve jurors who found El Gifari guilty of murder and robbery returned to court to hear the sentencing on Friday.

Mark Lang was previously described as "a good man with a lot of love to give" by his partner

Mr Lang's partner, Caroline Bergelin, said the family has been "devastated" his death in a victim personal statement read out in court on Friday.

"The future seems a scary place without him," she said, adding that her "whole world was turned upside down" the moment police arrived to tell her Mr Lang was in hospital.

She said the family cannot drive along North Road as it was too upsetting to think about what he went through.

When and where did the van theft murder happen?

Mark Lang left his van for just a few seconds to deliver a parcel on Laytonia Avenue on 28 March.

El Gifari saw the van and jumped in just minutes after being turned away from a nearby corner shop because he could not afford cigarettes.

He drove down to the end of the avenue, but had to turn around because it's a dead end.

Mr Lang, who was wearing a hi-vis jacket, stood in the middle of the road to make him stop.

El Gifari, who was driving at 18mph (28km/h), touched the brake for a fraction of a second.

He told police he was trying to frighten Mr Lang and thought he would move out of the way.

Mr Lang was knocked over and fell underneath the van's wheel.

El Gifari continued to drive on to North Road towards Cardiff city centre.

Mr Lang was dragged along the road underneath the vehicle and sustained multiple injuries to his head and body.

El Gifari got out at the junction with New Zealand Road, outside Cathays High School.

Mr Lang had been trapped for a distance of 740 metres (0.46 miles).

El Gifari ran away towards Whitchurch Road. He was arrested the following day at his parents' house.

Officers' bodycam footage showed him telling police: "I don't know what I've done, I've done nothing."

The hearing on Friday was told El Gifari has 26 convictions for 55 offences, including one for dangerous driving.

He had also spent time in prison for drugs offences, theft and burglary and had a conviction for racially aggravated common assault on his own father.

Mark Graffius KC, defending, said his client's childhood had been "unhappy and troubled" and that El Gifari's use of cannabis, cocaine and heroin caused a family "rift."

He had developed an addiction to painkillers after becoming homeless and had made two suicide attempts because "without a home and prospects he felt his life was hopeless."

Following the sentencing, Ryan Randall from the Crown Prosecution Service said: "This was a senseless act with fatal consequences. Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Mr Lang".