Covent Garden horror: Neighbour kills 74-year-old in brutal gate row

A quiet Sunday morning in Covent Garden turned into a scene of brutal violence when a 74-year-old man was viciously attacked by his neighbour in a petty argument over a gate.

Now, justice has been served.

Trevor Gocan, 57, has been convicted of manslaughter after launching a savage daylight assault on elderly James O’Neill—affectionately known as Jim—outside their homes in Odhams Walk.

The jury at Southwark Crown Court returned the guilty verdict on Thursday, May 1.

What started as a dispute over a gate spiralled into a sickening public beating. Witnesses, including children, watched in horror as Gocan repeatedly punched and kicked the pensioner with zero restraint or remorse.

Jim was rushed to hospital with multiple injuries, including a devastating brain bleed. He clung to life for nearly two weeks before succumbing to his wounds on October 21, 2024.

“Thuggish Violence Will Not Be Tolerated”

Detective Chief Inspector Wayne Jolley, who led the investigation, didn’t mince words: “The killer acted disgracefully, punching and kicking his victim in full view of members of the public – among them children – on a busy Sunday morning.”

“There was absolutely no excuse for Gocan’s conduct. The jury’s verdict shows that casual, thuggish violence will not be tolerated on London’s streets.”

Emergency services raced to the scene just after midday on October 6. Police quickly traced the attacker to a nearby home—shockingly, just metres from the crime scene—where Gocan was arrested.

Despite overwhelming evidence, Gocan initially gave no comment in police interviews. Later in court, he tried to shift blame by claiming self-defence—a story the jury clearly didn’t buy.

A post-mortem revealed that Jim died from complications caused by a traumatic brain injury and fractured ribs—injuries consistent with a brutal beating, not a self-defence claim.

Gocan has been remanded in custody. He will be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court on June 26.