'Vigilante diplomat killed his son's mugger'

A SOUTH American diplomat based in London hunted down and knifed to death a young mugger who had attacked his son, the Old Bailey heard today.

The vigilante-style killing by Sergeant Major Jairo Soto Mendoza, 45, was said to have been borne out of "anger and retaliation".

His 21-year-old son Valencia was robbed outside Perivale station on 20 May by two muggers. One was armed with a bottle and the other "may have had a knife", said Mark Dennis, prosecuting.

"The son was left badly shaken and suffered some minor bruising. His bank cards were stolen."

The next day Mendoza, secretary to the military attach at the Colombian embassy, armed himself with a knife and, with his son, tracked down the thieves - Damian Broom, a 23-year-old married father of one, and Lee Broom, 21 (no relation), said Mr Dennis.

They spotted them in a Tesco store close to the scene of the robbery.

Lee Broom ran off pursued by the son. Damian Broom and Mendoza were involved in a struggle near a pay till before Broom ran out. There was then a considerable chase before Mendoza caught him.

"Damian Broom suffered a single stab just below the left nipple," said Mr Dennis. "It was a clean in-and-out stab wound with a depth of about six inches. The wound was consistent with a deliberate and controlled thrust being delivered that was intended to cause serious harm."

Mr Dennis added: "The defendant made off, leaving his victim in a state of collapse." Unemployed Damian Broom was later pronounced dead due to liver damage.

He was said to have a record of driving offences and his friend had two convictions for robbery. Mendoza, from Greenford, denies murder.

The trial continues.

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