Man Convicted of 'Senseless' Killing of Thomas O'Halloran

Reasons for Lee Byer committing brutal attack remain a mystery

Lee Byer had been released from prison five days before the attack. Picture: Met Police

May 2, 2024

A 45-year-old man from Southall has been convicted this Monday (29 April) of the manslaughter of Thomas O’Halloran in August 2022.

Lee Byer of Allenby Avenue pleaded guilty on the grounds of diminished responsibility to the attack on the popular 87-year-old who happened to pass by him on his mobility scooter.

Byer has never explained the reason for the brutal assault and it is believed the two men may have had no previous interaction.

Thomas, who was originally for Ennistymon in County Clare, was a grandfather and a well-known local figure often seen in local stations busking with his accordion to raise money for charity, and had just visited the Tesco on the A40 on Tuesday, 16 August 2022. He was in the underpass that runs along the dual carriageway in Greenford when he encountered Byer who attacked him at around 4pm . CCTV shows Byer shortly afterwards fleeing the scene with a knife in his hand.

Despite his serious injuries Thomas was able to move forward 75 yards to Runnymede Gardens, at the junction with Cayton Road where he received assistance from a member of the public. An air ambulance was called and paramedics battled to save his life but he was pronounced dead at the scene.

The subsequent post-mortem examination found that Thomas had been stabbed ten times in the chest and neck.

Thomas O'Halloran was a well-known and popular member of the local community

An image of Byer was released to the media and he was identified by prison officers who had dealt with him while he had previously been in jail. CCTV also showed him disposing of a knife which was recovered and submitted for forensic examination.

DNA was recovered from the handle which matched Thomas’s - indicating this was part of the weapon used to stab him. A further DNA match was found on the knife handle matching Byer.

In the early hours of Thursday, 18 August officers arrested Byer on suspicion of murder at his home. Recently burnt clothing and footwear was found and recovered in his back garden matching the clothing worn during the offence.

Byer told officers that he could not have committed the crime as "I was in prison, I was in prison, so it is impossible - what you are talking about." In fact, Byer had been released on 11 August, five days before he carried out the attack.

A police forensics team at the scene of the killing

Detective Chief Inspector Laura Nelson who led the investigation said, "First and foremost, my thoughts today are with Thomas’s family who continue to feel the loss of their much loved father and grandfather. His death was senseless.

“Detectives have conducted a meticulous investigation in order to establish the facts of Thomas’s death. Byer’s movements were tracked from his release from prison up to the day of the attack, enabling us to present evidence that could not be disputed. We have worked closely with the forensic command and their examinations have intrinsically linked Byer to the attack.

“We have worked in partnership with the CPS and mental health professionals in order to understand Lee Byer’s mental health. It is the conclusion of mental health experts that Byer was psychotic when he attacked and killed Thomas O’Halloran. The findings have been shared with Thomas’s family."

Byer will be sentenced on Friday, 10 May.