'Good Samaritans' of riots face jail for robbery

Two thugs who posed as Good Samaritans in one of the most notorious crimes of the London riots were facing jail last night after being convicted of robbing a defenceless Malaysian student.

Ashraf Rossli, 21, had been in Britain just a month when he was knocked to the ground and left a bloodied mess on 8 August last year.

Moments after his jaw was smashed and his bicycle stolen, John Kafunda, 22, was caught on camera lifting him up and appearing to shepherd him from trouble.

But seconds later, he and Reece Donovan, 22, began rifling through his rucksack as the victim's back was to them and robbed him of a portable PlayStation and 10 games worth £500.

As police hunted the offenders, the footage was posted on YouTube and broadcast on news channels, causing global outrage.

Yesterday, the duo were convicted unanimously by a jury at London's Wood Green Crown Court of robbery and violent disorder, with Donovan also convicted of theft and burgling a Tesco store.

As the five women and seven men of the jury returned their verdicts the pair shook their heads and muttered.

And as powerfully built Kafunda, of Eastwood Road in Ilford, was led from the court, he shouted: "You're sending an innocent man down, bruv, innit."

Kafunda and Donovan will be sentenced on 13 March. The maximum sentence for robbery is life.