A man from Mitcham has been sentenced for manslaughter after the body of a man was found next to a burnt-out vehicle in Ilford.

Adil Mahmood, 37 of London Road, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for the manslaughter of 54-year-old Hassaman Ettakkal at the Old Bailey yesterday (January 18).

He also pleaded guilty to arson and was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment to run concurrently.

In handing down the sentences, the judge made a hospital direction under section 45a of the Mental Health Act so he can continue to receive hospital treatment.

Mahmood previously pleaded guilty to both counts on November 29.

The court heard how on May 29, the London Fire Brigade was called at around 5.45 am to reports of a car on fire in a car park in Castleton Road, Ilford.

At the scene in an area of garages behind flats, they found a black BMW 1 Series alight and man laying on the ground unresponsive five feet away from the car.

The man was wearing only boxer shorts and had no burns having being appeared dragged from the vehicle before the fire.

The man was later identified as Hassaman Ettakkal, 54 from Dagenham and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police and London Ambulance Service were called to the scene and the Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) launched an investigation.

A post mortem examination on May 30 gave cause of death as blunt force trauma that had caused a ruptured spleen.

Enquiries revealed that the burnt out BMW had false registration plates and been used by local homeless people.

Following extensive enquiries and analysis of CCTV, Mahmood was identified as a suspect and arrested in Croydon on June 4 and he was charged two days later.

The motive for the attack is not known.

DI Michael Dougall who led the investigation said: “This sentence reflects the seriousness of the offences Mahmood has committed and takes into consideration his guilty plea coupled with the professional medical treatment he needs.”