Three men and three teens jailed for park murder

A group of men and teenagers have been jailed for murdering a man who was taking an evening walk in a park.

Michael Obasi was attacked by three men and three boys in March 2024 in Perry Hall Park, in the Perry Barr area of Birmingham, West Midlands Police said.

Manuel Filipache, Ion Morar, and Ion Calin, along with the three teens who cannot be named due to their age, received sentences ranging from nine to 29 years.

In a statement released by police, Mr Obasi's family said the 38-year-old was a devoted father who "doted on his little boy" and had a "gentle spirit".

They added: "His loss is something we struggle with every single day."

The six men and boys were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday, having been found guilty of charges also including robbery in February.

West Midlands Police said Mr Obasi was beaten by the group in an attack on 14 March 2024, with a post-mortem examination concluding that he died from multiple injuries.

Mr Obasi's family said in their statement that he had spent his final day helping his mum with her car, before going for a walk in a park that was "full of fond family memories" for him.

They reported him missing when he did not return from his walk and his body was found in the park by a dog-walker two days later.

Police said CCTV obtained from two shops in Perry Barr showed Filipache and Morar using Mr Obasi's bank card soon after the attack.

The force added that Filipache, Morar, and Calin were also captured on CCTV later that evening re-enacting the attack and laughing about it, and items belonging to Mr Obasi were found at addresses linked to the group.

The three men were also found guilty this year of attempted robbery, over a separate attack at Walsall railway station in January 2024, police said.

The sentences were as follows:

• Manuel Filipache, 22, of Normandy Rd in Birmingham, received a life sentence of 29 years minimum for murder, minus 374 days already spent on remand. He also received a 10-year sentence for robbery, a seven-year sentence for attempted robbery, and a 12-month sentence for a breach of deportation order, to be served concurrently with his life sentence. He had pleaded not guilty to all charges except the breach of deportation order.
• Ion Morar, 21, of Bragg Road in Birmingham, received a life sentence of 25 years minimum for murder, minus 374 days already spent on remand. He also received an eight-year sentence for robbery and a five-year sentence for attempted robbery, to be served concurrently with his life sentence. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
• Ion Calin, 19, of Normandy Rd in Birmingham, received a life sentence of 24 years minimum for murder, minus 374 days already spent on remand. He also received an eight-year sentence for robbery and a five-year sentence for attempted robbery, to be served concurrently with his life sentence. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
• A 17-year-old was sentenced to 15 years in detention for murder, minus 369 days spent on remand. He also received a six-year sentence for robbery, to be served concurrently. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
• A 16-year-old was sentenced to 14 years in detention for murder, minus 374 days spent on remand. He also received a six-year sentence for robbery, to be served concurrently. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.
• A 15-year-old was sentenced to nine years in detention for murder, minus 369 days spent on remand. He also received a five-year sentence for robbery, to be served concurrently. He pleaded not guilty to all charges.

Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.