Thug kills father with one punch after being asked for a cigarette outside Tube station

1 November 2024, 14:55 | Updated: 1 November 2024, 15:15

Gabriel Silvera and  Dragos Carabineanu
Gabriel Silvera and Dragos Carabineanu. Picture: press release

By Hannah Levene

A man has been convicted of manslaughter after killing a 46-year-old father with one punch.

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Dragos Carabineaunu, 46, was punched in the face by Gabriel Silvera, 20, after asking for a cigarette.

The attack took place outside Burnt Oak Underground Station in north London.

Mr Carabineaunu was admitted to St Mary's Hospital in west London at 5am the next morning, where police found him in critical condition.

He suffered a fatal brain injury which caused him to die five days later on November 1, 2023.

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Gabriel Silvera
Gabriel Silvera. Picture: Met Police

A 17-year-old boy was also arrested on November 2, 2023. A 38-year-old woman was also arrested on November 3 that year on suspicion of theft, and was released with no further action.

On November 6 2023, police arrested Silvera on suspicion of murder. He was later charged on November 7 , and was remanded in custody.

On June 3 this year, Silvera pleaded guilty to the lesser charge of manslaughter, which was accepted by the court.

He was later sentenced to eight years imprisonment and four years on license at Snaresbrook Crown Court on October 31.

Dragos Carabineanu
Dragos Carabineanu. Picture: Met Police

The Met's detective chief inspector Linda Bradley, who led the investigation, said: “Nothing can bring Dragos back to his loved ones.

"However, I was pleased that Silvera’s guilty plea spared them the experience of a trial, where they would have once again heard the details of the incident that took Dragos from them.

"Our thoughts are with them.”

Mr Carabineanu's son Alex said: “The loss of our father has changed our lives in ways we could never have imagined.”