Man convicted of murder after assault left victim unable to undergo cancer treatment

A man who brutally assaulted another man by repeatedly stamping on his head, has today been found guilty of murder after the attack left the victim in a coma and unable to undergo life-saving cancer treatment.

William Ffrench, known to friends and family as Owen, sustained a catastrophic brain injury and never regained consciousness after Alfie Conway-Ryle violently assaulted him in Southwark Park in June 2024.

While in hospital months later, he was diagnosed with lung cancer but medical professionals concluded he was too unwell to undergo treatment because of the condition he had been left in by the attack.

After Owen tragically died in March 2025 at the age of 66, detectives launched a murder investigation, working with clinicians and medical experts to prove that the assault had denied him the opportunity to receive cancer treatment and had materially contributed to his death.

On Wednesday, 14 October that investigation culminated in Alfie Conway-Ryle (18.06.2000), of Ilderton Road, Southwark, being found guilty of Owen's murder at Croydon Crown Court.

Detective Inspector Richard Mackenzie, who led the investigation said:

"The investigation did not end with Owen's assault. Following his death, detectives were faced with the complex and unique task of understanding the long-term impact of the injuries inflicted by Conway-Ryle.

"Working alongside a range of specialist medical experts, we established that those injuries left Owen unable to receive treatment for cancer diagnosed months later, denying him the opportunity of potentially life-saving care. This evidence was instrumental in proving the assault to had fatal consequences long after the attack itself.

"Owen's family and close friends have endured an unimaginably long and painful journey since this attack. While no verdict can undo their loss, we hope today's outcome holds Conway-Ryle accountable for the devastating consequences of his actions."

In a statement, Owen’s family said:

“Justice has finally been served today for our beloved uncle. To the legal team, the police, and every professional who fought tirelessly to bring us this result, we offer our deepest and most sincere thank you. To our family, who sat in that courtroom every single day for two painful weeks, your strength and unwavering unity have carried us through our darkest hours.

“My uncle was the life and soul of this family, teaching us all how to live life and enjoy every single moment. He was somebody's son, somebody's brother, and a truly loving, caring, and selfless man who had endless time for every one of us. When the family lost his brother in 2001, our uncle stepped up without hesitation to be a father to the siblings and a grandfather to the nieces and nephew, ensuring everyone felt protected, cherished, and never alone.

“If we could have just one more moment with him, we would tell him how deeply he is loved and missed. We didn't get a chance to say goodbye. You didn't wake up, the moment you were taken into the hospital, you didn't wake up. Our uncle did not deserve this cruel and senseless violence, and while nothing can ever fill the void left by his loss, his unconditional love will remain the guiding light of our family forever.

“Your remaining brothers will continue to look after us, so don't worry, uncle. Justice has been served. You can rest easy now.”

The investigation

At around 04:15hrs on 27 June 2024, officers were called to Jocelyn Street, SE15, following reports of a serious assault.

CCTV footage showed Conway-Ryle and Owen involved in an altercation near Surrey Canal. As Owen repeatedly pleaded to be left alone, Conway-Ryle told a bystander that he was going to kill Owen. Conway-Ryle then deliberately tripped Owen to the ground and repeatedly stamped on his head. The court heard that more than 15 stamps were inflicted over a period of approximately 40 seconds.

When officers arrived, Owen was found unconscious and taken to hospital with multiple brain bleeds, extensive facial fractures and broken ribs.

Officers were also approached by Conway-Ryle who claimed that there was an injured man in the park. Witnesses at the scene supported police by identifying Conway-Ryle as the man responsible before he was arrested at the scene.

On 28 June 2024, Conway-Ryle was charged with attempted murder and pleaded not guilty. He was remanded into custody while awaiting trial.

Murder investigation

Owen remained in hospital in a coma when, in December 2024, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. Medical professionals considered whether treatment options were available, but concluded that the devastating brain injury he had suffered in the assault had left him too unwell to tolerate treatment and unable to consent to it.

In the absence of cancer treatment, and following the injuries he had sustained during the assault, Owen tragically died on 9 March 2025.

While CCTV footage and witness accounts had already provided compelling evidence of the assault itself, a murder investigation was launched to establish whether the injuries inflicted by Conway-Ryle had made a more than a minimal contribution to Owen's death.

Detectives worked with Owen's treating clinician, an expert oncologist, a neuropathologist and a forensic pathologist to build a detailed understanding of the long-term impact of Owen's injuries. Their findings demonstrated that the condition Owen was left in following the attack deprived him of potentially life-saving cancer treatment and consequentially could be directly linked to Owen's death

Conway-Ryle’s charge was upgraded from attempted murder to murder in February 2026.

He will be sentenced at Croydon Crown Court on Friday, 4 December.

Note to editors:

Conway-Ryle was initially charged with grievous bodily harm and pleaded guilty to that offence. However, prosecutors refused that charge, and it was instead replaced with a charge of attempted murder on 28 June 2024, to which he pleaded not guilty.

Upon being arrested for the assault of Owen, Conway-Ryle bit an officer. He was also charged with assault by beating of an emergency worker and pleaded guilty to this offence on 4 October 2024.