Man who stamped on 66-year-old's head more than 15 times found guilty of MURDER after attack left victim too ill for cancer treatment

Alfie Conway-Ryle, 26, was convicted of murder at Croydon Crown Court on Wednesday after a jury found that his brutal assault on William Ffrench in Southwark Park denied the 66-year-old the chance of life-saving cancer treatment. Conway-Ryle tripped Ffrench to the ground and stamped on his head more than 15 times in 40 seconds, leaving him with catastrophic brain injuries, multiple bleeds, facial fractures and broken ribs. Ffrench never regained consciousness, was diagnosed with lung cancer while in a coma, and died in March 2025 without receiving any treatment.

Before the attack, Conway-Ryle told a bystander he intended to kill Ffrench, who had repeatedly pleaded to be left alone near Surrey Canal.

Detectives worked with four medical specialists — a treating clinician, oncologist, neuropathologist and forensic pathologist — to prove the injuries had denied Ffrench 'potentially life-saving cancer treatment'.

Ffrench's family said 'justice has finally been served' for their 'beloved uncle', the 'life and soul' of the family who never got to say goodbye.