The person found guilty of murdering Lee Casey as he tried to "selflessly" intervene during a robbery attempt in Brixton has been sentenced to life in prison.

Levi Paschal, 34, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 20 years at the Old Bailey today (Friday, February 26) after he was found guilty of murdering 38-year-old Lee on August 29, 2019.

Paschal was also sentenced to 11 years for attempted robbery and six years for GBH against a second victim.

His partner Clementine Jones, 32, was sentenced to 10 years for attempted robbery and five years for GBH after being found guilty in relation to a second victim in the incident at the conclusion of the same trial.

Their trial heard how on August 2019, 29, Paschal conspired with Jones to rob a man who she had arranged to meet in a park at Rush Common under the pretence of buying drugs.

Your Local Guardian: Levi Paschal (Met Police) Levi Paschal (Met Police)

Shortly before midday, the man arrived and sat down on a bench with Lee Casey and another woman.

Paschal and Jones arrived and an argument ensued during which Paschal armed himself with a large hunting knife and attempted to attack the man.

He ran away but slipped and was grabbed by Paschal.

Lee – seeing the events unfolding in front of him – attempted to intervene. When he did so, he was stabbed by Paschal.

Those present gave first aid until police and the London Ambulance Service arrived.

Lee was taken to hospital where he died that afternoon.

While Lee lay dying in the park, Paschal and Jones fled the scene.

They were subsequently arrested at residential address on September 1.

Your Local Guardian: Clementine Jones (Met Police) Clementine Jones (Met Police)

In a statement released on behalf of Lee’s family following the sentencing of Levi Paschal, his sister Michelle Casey said:

"Lee's heroic actions in trying to protect someone did not come as a surprise to us. However, this brave and selfless deed resulted in his life being taken.

"Levi Paschal was willing to destruct anything that got in his way, including Lee's life.

"He can still see and speak to his loved ones but we will never see or speak to Lee again. How is that fair?

"There is no punishment that he could receive that would ever be slightly comparable to the punishment he caused us when he ripped Lee from us.

"It will never give us what we want which is to have Lee back, but hopefully for the foreseeable future he will be unable to selfishly take another person's life and destroy another family," she said.

"As a family, we all suffer anxiety on a daily basis, thinking that Lee will walk through the door or call our phones again. The events of that day and the horrific way in which Lee died plays on our minds constantly," Michelle added.

"The catastrophic damage it has caused us is irreparable.

"All we have wished for is to hear Lee say 'I love you' as he always did, but we will never hear this again."

Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, who led the investigation, said: "The actions of Levi Paschal have utterly devastated Lee Casey’s family and friends.

"While no words can begin to ease the pain they are suffering, I hope they can take some solace in the fact that Lee was bravely attempting to assist a friend when he was fatally attacked."