A grinning killer headbutted a police officer as he was arrested for murdering a pensioner on his doorstep. Franklin Agbotui, 79, was beaten to death after confronting Phillip Fraczek, then aged 20, for hanging around elderly residents' flats in West Ham, east London on May 15, 2024.
Fraczek, now 22, was jailed for life with a minimum of 20 years and four months at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday, having admitted murder and assault of an emergency worker. Police body-worn footage shows two officers chasing and capturing Fraczek, who smirked and asked: 'Why are you doing this? Why are you resisting?' He then headbutted one officer in the jaw. His knuckles and Nike trainers were covered in Mr Agbotui's blood.
Earlier, Fraczek had fallen asleep in the corridor outside Mr Agbotui's flat. The pensioner woke him and asked him to leave, after which neighbours heard banging and screams. Mr Agbotui was found badly injured and surrounded by broken furniture, dying five days later in hospital.
Mr Agbotui's family said in a victim impact statement: 'Our father lived a quiet, humble life grounded in integrity, respect, perseverance, education and faith... His death has had a profound and far-reaching impact on our wellbeing, our sense of stability and our family as a whole.'
Det Supt Kelly Allen said: 'Franklin was known to friends and neighbours as a kind and gentle man... This was horrifically taken from him by Fraczek – whose unprovoked and savage attack has rocked this community.'
