London riots: Man jailed for Malaysian student attack Published duration 10 March 2012

An 18-year-old man who broke the jaw of a Malaysian student during the London riots has been jailed for seven years.

Ashraf Rossli, 20, had been in the UK for just a month when he was attacked in Barking on 8 August.

At Wood Green Crown Court, Beau Isagba was jailed for assaulting Mr Rossli and stealing his bike.

John Kafunda, 22, of Ilford, and Reece Donovan, 24, have been found guilty of robbing Mr Rossli.

'Blood pouring'

Their actions attracted widespread attention because the pair had initially appeared to help the stricken student.

The pair were told to expect lengthy custodial sentences when they are sentenced on 13 March.

Mr Rossli, an accountancy student from Kuala Lumpur, was on his way to a friend's house when he was punched, breaking his jaw in two places.

He said: "I knew they were stealing from me but I could do nothing. I was sat on the pavement with blood pouring from my mouth."

Judge Witold Pawlak said: "This sentence will, I hope, make other like-minded people think before they behave in a similar way to you, and also reassure the public and visitors to our country that this sort of behaviour will not be tolerated."

Det Sgt Brett Hagen, from Operation Withern, said: "The substantial sentence handed to Beau Isagba today reflects the truly despicable and cowardly nature of this attack.

"Isagba punched Mr Rossli's jaw with such force that it broke in two places and then had the audacity to steal his bicycle and ride off to commit further riot-related offences.

"This horrific and well-publicised incident unfortunately epitomised everything evil about the riots."

The judge said that 54 months of the total of 84 months he was imposing on Isagba were for the attack on Mr Rossli.