Four jailed after violent street beating in Newham left man with several bleeds on brain

A group of men who beat a man so badly he suffered several bleeds on the brain have been brought to justice by Met officers.

Kirtys MacKenzie, 30 (17.10.93), of Beckton, was convicted of Section 18 GBH and brothers Pierre Jacobs, 20 (19.06.02), Andre Jacobs, 28 (15.06.95) and Lewis Jacobs, 30 (20.12.93), all of East Ham, were each convicted of Section 20 GBH at a hearing at Inner London Crown Court on Monday, 3 June.

MacKenzie was sentenced to four years and three months. Andre and Lewis Jacobs were sentenced for two years and three months and Pierre Jacobs was sentenced two years, all at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, 1 August.

At 19:40hrs on 16 May 2023, the victim, aged 35, was driving his own vehicle on Clements Road E6 when Andre Jacobs approached in a silver BMW from the opposite direction.

The victim reversed down into Burges Road, colliding with a black Ford Focus containing Lewis and Pierre Jacobs, before then driving back up Clements Road and colliding with Andre Jacobs in his silver BMW. Seconds after this Mackenzie turned up in his White BMW pulling in behind the damaged vehicles.

The suspects leapt from their vehicles and pulled the victim from his car before reigning down blows and kicks on him in a brutal assault lasting around 20 seconds, leaving the victim motionless face down on the floor. MacKenzie returned around a minute later and stamped on the victim’s head.

The group remained at the scene and called police, claiming that they had detained him after he threatened them with a knife.

Responding officers quickly realised that the victim was in fact seriously injured and immediately requested help from London Ambulance Service and London's Air Ambulance paramedics.

The victim was found to have suffered a collapsed lung, several bleeds to the brain for which he was placed in a medically induced coma, a fractured jaw bone, fractured rib and a fracture to a part of his spine, and was admitted to critical care unit immediately.

The victim continues to recover from his injuries to this day. He is getting back to day-to-day activities gradually, however doctors have stated he will suffer long term effects of the brain injury causing changes to many cognitive functions. His injuries mean he is at a higher risk of developing epilepsy and the victim’s mental health has drastically deteriorated since the incident.

Detective Constable Joanne Trevor, the investigating officer, said: "The build up to this assault was linked to an earlier incident in which the victim and Pierre Jacobs had had an altercation at a gym in East Ham at around 18:30hrs the same day. The argument spiralled and escalated outside of the gym into the public. The victim was outnumbered and didn't stand a chance. For some time it was not clear if the victim was suffering life-threatening or life-changing injuries, he could have lost his life that day.

“A great deal of work was involved in this case including obtaining medical evidence alongside expert opinions and CCTV. We also obtained mobile phone data which uncovered communication between the defendants after the incident in the gym, leading to them finding the victim later on in their separate vehicles. This evidence illustrated how those involved intended to cause serious harm to the victim and was key to the conviction.

"My investigation was greatly assisted by the recovery of CCTV which showed the incident in full.”

"I am glad to have secured justice for the victim and hope it goes some small way to providing him some comfort in his continued recovery. I hope that these convictions demonstrates that public attacks such as this do not go unnoticed by the police."

The men were all arrested on 16 May and charged the following day.