A jury has found that a 30-year-old man punched Jorge Ortega, 61, at Ilford railway station
A jury has found that an Ilford man punched a station ‘wonderful’ devoted’ Elizabeth Line worker that contributed to his death. Ayodele Jamgbadi, 30, punched Elizabeth Line assistant Jorge Ortega in the face at Ilford railway station after missing his train.
Mr Ortega’s family have now said that they were in “the darkest period of [their] lives” following the fatal assault. They have paid tribute to him as a “a loving husband, a devoted father and a wonderful grandfather”.
A “trial of facts” at Inner London Crown Court heard Mr Ortega, 61, had been trying to calm down Jamgbadi, of Kingston Road, Ilford, after he “just missed a train” on the Elizabeth line route heading to London Stratford. Jamgbadi punched him in the face, and Mr Ortega hit his head on the concrete platform. Mr Ortega, who worked for TfL, may have been rendered unconscious before he hit the ground, the court was told.
British Transport Police (BTP) officers were called to Ilford station at around 8.50pm on December 4, 2024, after the assault was reported to them. Mr Ortega was taken to hospital in a critical condition.
According to prosecutor Patrick Dennis, Mr Ortega sadly died of a “severe traumatic brain injury” two days later. He was surrounded by his loving family in hospital.
Jamgbadi, accused of murder, is unfit to plead, so the jury has not decided whether he is guilty or innocent. He is not mentally well enough to stand trial, and he is currently in hospital for that reason.
The jury was told by Mr Dennis to decide whether he punched Mr Ortega, and whether the punch was “a significant cause of Jorge Ortega’s death”. They have now found that Jamgbadi fatally assaulted Mr Ortega.
In a statement shared by the British Transport Police, Mr Ortega’s family said: “We miss Jorge every single day. As a family, we wish he were here to see everything that has happened since he left us, and to share in the moments, both big and small, that we wish we could have experienced together.
“We want Jorge to be remembered for the life he lived, not for the way he was taken from us. He was a loving husband, a devoted father and a wonderful grandfather. He was hardworking, kind, generous, caring, funny, wise and incredibly talented. He had a gift for art and drawing, and his creativity and attention to detail were a special part of who he was. The artwork he created is something we proudly display in our homes, and it will always be a part of him that we can hold on to.
“For his wife, Jorge was not only her husband, but her best friend and the person she shared more than 38 years of her life with. The life they built together, the memories they made and the love they shared will always remain a part of our family.
“He also left behind five grandchildren who adored their Grandad. They loved the time they spent with him — whether it was going for walks in the forest with the dogs, going to soft play, or simply playing together at home. It breaks our hearts that they will have to grow up without him there to make new memories with them.
“But we will make sure they grow up knowing who their Grandad was, rather than simply knowing that he was taken away from us. We will tell them about his kindness, his humour, his talents, his wisdom and, most importantly, how deeply he loved his family.”
On Wednesday, September 16, the court imposed a Hospital Order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act 1983 together with a Restriction Order under Section 41. Jamgbadi will remain detained in hospital for treatment and cannot be discharged, transferred, or granted leave without the approval of the Secretary of State for Justice, or a direction of the Mental Health Tribunal.
Responding to the jury’s decision, BTP Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell said: “I would like to pay tribute to the dignity, strength and courage shown by Mr Ortega’s family following his untimely loss. I recognise that their grief has been compounded by the length of time it has taken to reach this stage. I am grateful for the patience, support and understanding they have demonstrated throughout the investigation and the proceedings that have followed.
“Mr Ortega was a kind and hardworking man who was carrying out his duties as usual that evening, when he became the victim of a wholly unacceptable act of violence.
“Nobody should be subjected to abuse, intimidation or violence whilst travelling or working on the rail network. Protecting the public and rail staff remains a priority for the British Transport Police, and we are committed to relentlessly pursuing offenders and bringing them to justice.”
Chris Fowler, Managing Director of GTS, which operates the Elizabeth line, said that Mr Ortega was “a much loved and respected colleague, and his loss continues to be deeply felt by everyone who knew and worked alongside him”.
Mr Fowler said: “Jorge lost his life simply doing his job, looking out for others and serving the people of London. We will continue to remember him for the colleague and person he was, and to support those closest to him.”
London’s Transport Commissioner, Andy Lord, said: “Everyone should be able to go about their day without fear or intimidation and it is unimaginable that someone could lose their life due to unprovoked violence while doing their job. The safety and wellbeing of our colleagues is paramount, and we have fully supported the British Transport Police with their investigation.”
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