A man has been jailed for murder nearly two decades after a brutal street attack in Lewisham that left his victim with brain injuries which ultimately killed him 16 years later.
Jordan Burton, 34, of Achilles Street, Lewisham, was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 10 years at the Old Bailey on Wednesday. He had been found guilty of the murder of 31-year-old Daniel Allright the day before, following a trial at the same court.
## An attack in 2006, a death in 2022
The court heard that on 13 September 2006, Daniel — then just 16 years old — was with two friends in Oscar Street, Lewisham, when he was attacked by a group of young males. He was struck on the head with a number of items, including a piece of wood and a bicycle chain, and an advertising board was thrown at him.
Daniel was rushed to hospital and underwent brain surgery. He survived, but with serious brain injuries — including post-traumatic epilepsy and seizures that grew more frequent and more severe in the period before his death.
On 26 March 2022, his mother went to check on him after he stopped replying to her messages, and found him dead in his bathroom. A post-mortem examination concluded that the cause of death was post-traumatic epilepsy — he had suffered a fatal epileptic attack, directly linked to the injuries inflicted in 2006.
## From attacker to convicted murderer
Burton was 14 at the time of the attack. He was arrested in 2006 after Daniel identified him as the person who hit him with a large piece of wood. He initially denied involvement, but in 2007 he pleaded guilty to violent disorder and causing grievous bodily harm to Daniel, and was given a two-year youth rehabilitation order.
The case was reopened as a murder investigation after the post-mortem linked Daniel’s death to the 2006 attack. Burton was arrested at his home in June 2024, having previously failed to attend a voluntary interview. He declined to comment during his interview, was charged in October 2025, and pleaded not guilty — indicating he did not intend to cause serious harm.
Detectives and the prosecution argued that if someone causes grievous bodily harm and the victim dies as a result, that amounts to murder. The jury agreed, and Burton was convicted on 29 September.
## “Justice for Daniel”
Detective Sergeant Chris Taylor, the investigating officer from the Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command, said Burton’s attack had a devastating impact on Daniel and his family for 16 years.
“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,” he said.
He described the investigation as challenging because of the time that had passed — detectives were not able to speak to all of the original witnesses from 2006 — but said they were determined to secure justice.
“I would like to praise Daniel’s family for the courage and bravery they have shown throughout the trial and the investigation,” he added. “No mother should have to find their son dead because of the reckless and unnecessary actions of another.”
## Timeline: 2006 to 2026
– **September 2006** — Daniel Allright, 16, is attacked in Oscar Street, Lewisham, suffering severe head injuries. Burton, 14, is arrested.
– **2007** — Burton pleads guilty to violent disorder and grievous bodily harm, receiving a two-year youth rehabilitation order.
– **March 2022** — Daniel is found dead at home aged 31. Post-mortem finds post-traumatic epilepsy as the cause of death.
– **June 2024** — Burton is arrested at his home and declines to comment.
– **October 2025** — Burton is charged with murder and pleads not guilty.
– **29 September 2026** — A jury at the Old Bailey finds him guilty of murder.
– **30 September 2026** — He is sentenced to life with a minimum of 10 years.
## Related coverage
The case echoes another recent south-east London prosecution in which [a man was found guilty of murder 20 years after beating a teenager with a bike chain in Deptford](https://londonstreets.uk/deptford-bike-chain-killer-guilty-murder-20-years/) — a reminder that in English law, there is no time limit on a murder charge when a death is found to have been caused by an earlier act of violence.
