Man jailed for murder after teenager he assaulted in 2006 died almost 16 years later
Daniel had been suffering from epilepsy and similar non-fatal epileptic seizures since he was the victim of a group attack when he was 16 years old.
A man has been jailed for murder after a teenager he brutally assaulted with a piece of wood in 2006 died almost 16 years later.
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Jordan Burton, 34, was sentenced to life with a minimum of 10 years at the Old Bailey on Wednesday for the murder of 31-year-old Daniel Allright.
On March 16, 2022, Daniel was found dead in his bathroom by his mother after she went to check on him when he stopped replying to her messages.
The post-mortem examination found that the cause of death was post-traumatic epilepsy, meaning he had suffered a fatal epileptic attack.
Daniel had been suffering from epilepsy and similar non-fatal epileptic seizures since he was the victim of a group attack when he was 16 years old.
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The court heard that on September 13, 2006, Daniel was with two friends on Oscar Street, Lewisham, when he was attacked by a group of young males.
He received blows to the head from several items, including a piece of wood and a bicycle chain. An advertising board was also thrown at him.
Daniel was rushed to hospital and had brain surgery. He was left with serious brain injuries from the attack, including post-traumatic epilepsy and seizures, which increased in frequency and severity in the period before his death.
Following the conclusion of the post-mortem examination, detectives launched a murder investigation and began collating evidence to prove that the violent attack in 2006 resulted in his death 16 years later.
Burton, aged 14 at the time, was arrested in 2006 for the attack and was identified by Daniel as being the person who hit him with a large piece of wood.
He initially denied being involved, but in 2007 he pleaded guilty to violent disorder and causing grievous bodily harm to Daniel. He was given a two-year youth rehabilitation order.
Burton was arrested at his home in June 2024 on suspicion of murder, having previously failed to attend a voluntary interview following Daniel’s death.
He declined to comment during his interview. He was charged in October 2025 and entered a not guilty plea, indicating he did not intend to cause serious harm.
However, detectives and the prosecution argued that if someone causes grievous bodily harm and the victim dies, then they are guilty of murder. The jury agreed, and Burton was convicted.
Detective Sergeant Chris Taylor, the investigating officer from the Specialist Crime Command, said: “Burton’s brutal attack in 2006 had a devastating impact on both Daniel and his family for almost 16 years and also resulted in his tragic death.
"For more than half of his life, Daniel suffered with debilitating brain conditions such as epilepsy, seizures and aphasia, which meant he had difficulty verbalising words, all because of Burton’s abhorrent actions that day.
“This was a challenging investigation due to the amount of time that had passed, for example we were not able to speak to all of the original witnesses from 2006.
"However, we were determined to secure justice for Daniel and his family and I am pleased we have been able to achieve that.
“I would like to praise Daniel’s family for the courage and bravery they have shown throughout the trial and the investigation.
"No mother should have to find their son dead because of the reckless and unnecessary actions of another. I hope they have now found a small measure of comfort knowing Burton is now behind bars for Daniel’s murder.”