British man convicted of brutal murder of Greek teacher in London

A 30-year-old British man has been given a heavy prison sentence by a London court for the murder of a Greek teacher, Menelaos Aligizakis, at a bus stop in the British capital early this year.

Mark Patten stamped on Aligizakis's head at a bus stop near Waterloo station, central London, in the early hours of January 3 in what a British police investigator described as “a senseless and unprovoked act of brutality.”

In a ruling on Thursday, the Inner London Crown Court sentenced Patten, 30, to a minimum of 17 years to life.

Aligizakis had been visiting friends in London when the incident occurred. He had left a club in the area of Waterloo in the early hours of Saturday, shortly after an argument with Patten, the court heard.

Patten followed Aligizakis and attacked the teacher, punching him before kicking him to the ground and repeatedly stamping on his head, according to witnesses.

An ambulance was called but Aligizakis, 43, died at the scene.

Detective Chief Inspector Reynolds said Aligizakis was a “well-liked and professional man” whose death had devastated his elderly parents, the BBC reported.