Homeless man stabbed to death by stranger in Crystal Palace

Ion Radu was stabbed to death by Kiiran Hibbert-Gorden after they met at Morley’s Fried Chicken late at night on June 1 last year. 

Hibbert-Gorden was experiencing an psychotic episode after he stopped taking his medication and was discharged by a psychiatrist three months earlier. 

The 24-year-old appeared at the Old Bailey on Friday (June 7) to be sentenced for manslaughter by diminished responsibility. 

Ion Radu (Image: Met Police)

Jane Osborne KC told the court that at around 11pm Hibbert-Gorden left his supported living centre on Sylvan Hill and walked to Morley’s in Crystal Palace. 

Ion, a 46-year-old homeless man, was seeking refuge at a table inside the shop. 

After standing outside for around 20 minutes Hibbert-Gorden entered the shop, bought four chicken wings and gave one to Ion. 

The pair chatted and it seemed as though Hibbert-Gorden was intent on helping Ion, Ms Osborne said. 

The pair walked back to Hibbert-Gorden's support living centre together and the defendant asked staff if there was a spare room for Ion to stay in. 

However, staff told Hibbert-Gorden rooms were by council referral only. 

The pair then walked to the Best Western Hotel in Crystal Palace and Hibbert-Gorden went inside to speak to the receptionist. 

“He was inside the hotel for less than one minute. He then left and it was within a further minute that the fatal stabbing took place,” Ms Osborne said. 

Having left the hotel the pair disappeared from view of CCTV cameras into a side street, then a minute later Ion was seen running away from Hibbert-Gorden clutching his chest. 

Hibbert-Gorden then went home, while Ion was found dead in a car park by a resident on Homelands Drive the following morning. 

More updates from this sentencing hearing to come.