A notorious thief, known for his ‘extreme aggression and temper,’ has been sentenced to prison for the brutal street murder of a pensioner over a bag of groceries. The incident, which shocked the community, saw Peter Augustine, 59, violently assault 87-year-old John Mackey after the elderly man left a Co-op store in Manor House, north London, on May 6.

During the altercation, Augustine demanded the shopping bag from Mr. Mackey, who was frail and suffering from dementia. The attack, which lasted a mere minute, left the pensioner bleeding heavily from his head as he lay helpless on the pavement. Augustine’s actions were described as particularly ruthless, given his victim’s vulnerability and inability to defend himself.

Claiming hunger as his motive, Augustine rifled through Mr. Mackey’s possessions, taking the bag that contained simple groceries such as a box of cornflakes and a cottage pie. This senseless act of violence not only deprived Mr. Mackey of his belongings but also of his life.

Today, at the Old Bailey, Her Honour Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC sentenced Augustine, who refused to appear in court, to life imprisonment. He must serve a minimum of 23 years before he is eligible for parole. The judge condemned the attack as cowardly and noted Augustine’s complete lack of remorse for his actions.

Augustine, who refused to attend court, was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years before he can be considered for release by Her Honour Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC at the Old Bailey today.

She said: ‘It was a cowardly attack, the defendant has shown no remorse.

‘If he (Augustine) was genuinely starving, I have no doubt that this kind, generous gentleman would have shared what he had with him.’ 

Members of Mr Mackey’s family in court nodded as the sentence was passed. 

John Mackey (pictured), who was bleeding from his head, regained consciousness but was unable to tell officers what had happened

The prosecutor told jurors that at the time, Augustine (pictured) was living in ‘reduced circumstances’ and was effectively homeless

Mr Mackey’s niece Patricia Schan gave a moving statement to the court on behalf of the family.

She described her Arsenal-supporting uncle as ‘perfect’, one of 11 brothers and sisters who had no children of his own but was very close to his 22 neices and nephews. 

She said: ‘He always had a twinkle in his eye, dressed immaculately and never seen without one of his many trilby hats.’

A member of the jury, who returned to witness the sentencing, appeared to wipe a tear from her eye as Ms Schan paid tribute to her uncle, an Irishman from Callan in County Kilkenny, who had lived in London for around 70 years.  

Police pieced together events from CCTV footage, although the attack itself was not caught on camera.

Mr Mackey had set off from his address shortly after 5pm wearing a distinctive trilby hat, grey mackintosh coat and carrying a walking stick and black bag.

At 5.12pm, he went into the Co-op where he bought cornflakes, an own-brand cottage pie and Mirror newspaper which he put in his bag.

He paid for his goods using a £20 note and put the change of £11.50 in his trouser pocket.

Eighteen minutes later, Augustine began to follow the pensioner.

Mr Mackey then went into Manor Kebab at 5.36pm and bought sausage and chips as the defendant loitered outside, the trial was told.

The victim was last seen on camera at 5.50pm and Augustine reappeared on CCTV three minutes later carrying what looked like the victim’s bag, the trial heard.

A later search of the defendant’s room uncovered what was left of Mr Mackey’s groceries and wrapping from the cottage pie, and sausage and chips.

Mr Mackey regained consciousness briefly in hospital but was unable to tell police exactly what happened before he died from his injuries.

Prosecutor Jane Bickerstaff KC previously told the trial Mr Mackey was 5ft 5ins tall and weighed less than nine stone.

She said: ‘He would have been largely unable to put up any resistance to the attack due to his age and infirmity.’

She told the sentencing hearing today: ‘What he (Augustine) in fact did, over the course of a minute, was he used a level of violence, causing in that time a fatal injury, all wholly unnecessary, carried out in extreme anger.’  

The prosecutor told jurors that at the time, Augustine was living in ‘reduced circumstances’ and was effectively homeless.

She said he had used ‘extreme force’ after he targeted Mr Mackey.

‘When the defendant kicked and punched an elderly, vulnerable and largely defenceless man, who was prone on the floor, the Crown says that he intended to cause him really serious harm,’ Ms Bickerstaff said.

Augustine was handed a life term with a minimum of 23 years for murder, less the 203 days he has spent in custody.

He was also handed an eight-year sentence for robbery, and a further four-week sentence for theft three days before the attack. The sentences will run concurrently.

The judge said Augustine, who has a host of previous convictions, may never be released from prison.