Tom (Thomas) Roberts
Died 12 March 2022
Who they were
Tom, from Bournemouth, was popular, physically fit and hoped for a career in the Royal Marines. His partner, parents and stepfather described a void after him: "a massive hole in our lives". The judge called him "a thoroughly decent young man with a great future".
What happened
In the early hours of 12 March 2022, Tom tried to defuse an argument over an e-scooter on Old Christchurch Road. He was stabbed twice and collapsed in front of onlookers. The attacker – an Afghan asylum seeker who had falsely claimed to be a minor on entry and had previously committed murders in Serbia – received a life sentence with a minimum of 29 years (Salisbury Crown Court, 25 January 2023).
Verdict / confirmation
Life imprisonment, minimum 29 years (Salisbury Crown Court, 25 Jan 2023).
Perpetrator: An Afghan asylum seeker; entered the UK in December 2019 claiming to be 14; had previously murdered two men in Serbia (2018). Life imprisonment, minimum 29 years, Salisbury Crown Court 25 Jan 2023 (BBC).