Two convicted of manslaughter after man found on fire in west London park

Two men have been convicted over the death of Subere Badade in west London.

Samuel Stewart, 36, and David Pilgrim, 33, have been found guilty of manslaughter following a police investigation.

Mr Badade’s body was discovered by firefighters who had been called to extinguish a fire in Belvue Park in Northolt in the early hours of June 13, 2020.

Detectives established that Badade, 28, had been taken to the park and set alight after he was assaulted by Stewart and Pilgrim at Stewart's house two days earlier.

They drove to Belvue Park where they carried him around 150 metres into a wooded area before setting him on fire, police said. Both men claimed he was already dead when this took place.

Despite there being no CCTV in the park itself, detectives pieced together what happened using footage from near to the park, which showed one of the men leaving and returning to the car.

They linked the car to Pilgrim, and found that the same vehicle had been left abandoned in a car park in Ashley Court.

CCTV was also recovered showing Stewart withdrawing cash from an ATM after the incident, which provided officers with a clear image of his face.

Detectives found that the pair and the victim had been at Stewart's home on June 11 and a witness reported seeing Stewart and Subere arguing over a mobile phone.

Later that day, Stewart and Pilgrim left the address, but there was no sign of Mr Badade.

On the evening of June 12, Stewart and Pilgrim built and started a bonfire in the garden of the house.

Police later retrieved items consistent with burned clothing.

Stewart was identified and arrested at his home on June 15 and told officers: “You [are] not only doing me for this murder.”

Pilgrim was arrested on June 17 and both were later charged. They will be sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court on September 28.

Detective Inspector Marcus Jones, the senior investigation officer, said: “Our thoughts remain with Subere’s family, who have had to listen to incredibly distressing information about how he lost his life.

“We can only imagine the terror he must have felt that day and it is for that reason we are very pleased to see two dangerous men brought to justice.”