A murderer from Enfield has been sentenced to life in prison for a ‘brutal’ killing last year.

Malachi Lindo, 27, of Bowles Green, Enfield was told he will serve a minimum of 14 years behind bars after the killing of Phillip Steels, 51, in Green Street, Enfield.

The attack took place in the early hours of Thursday September 4, 2014 when Lindo had taken a concoction of drugs including cannabis and ethylone or MDEA and randomly happened upon Mr Steels in the street.

A confrontation followed and Lindo used a house brick to repeatedly strike Mr Steels' head, killing him.

Judge Paul Worsley said in his summing up at the Old Bailey this morning: “It was a brutal murder, you had taken a cocktail of drugs and attacked a complete stranger on the street.

“You literally smashed his head in, it was an unprovoked and tragic killing. Phillip Steels was vulnerable, slightly built and posed no threat to you.

“He is much missed by his family who loved him dearly.”

Upon his arrest Lindo was found hugging the victim, who sustained serious injuries to his face during the attack, and rolling on the floor.

He then spat at a policeman and asked to be let go stating “I promise I won’t kill again.”

When considering his sentence, Judge Worsley heard impact statements from Mr Steels' sister and daughter.

A statement read on behalf of his daughter Kay Steels, who was seven months pregnant at the time of her father's murder, said: “This is the worst thing that has ever happened in my life, in the following days I just broke down, I was uncontrollably crying and still have nightmares about it.

“I loved my dad so much and it upsets me that he will never get to meet my son who now has no grandfather and I have no dad.

“All I have now is photos and memories, my dad made me feel loved and special and all this has been taken away from me.”

In summing up, Judge Worsely accepted that Lindo, a former law student who had been shadowing a judge at the Old Bailey at one time, had been in an abnormal mental state at the time of the incident and that he and his family had a history of mental illness.

However the judge was satisfied of Lindo’s intent to kill on that evening, he said: “I have listened with care to the evidence and take the view that you clearly intended to kill the victim.

“A life was taken and it was entirely your responsibility, despite the abnormality of mental function you were experiencing as a result of taking drugs.”

Lindo was sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 14 years.