Thieves ‘defiled and ransacked’ body of World’s End pub landlord who lay dying in street

A man who stole from the landlord of a famous Camden pub as he lay dying in the street has been sentenced to 15 months in jail.

Yesterday Graham Fitzpatrick, 50, of Hilldrop Crescent, Holloway - known as Fitzy - pleaded guilty to theft from Michael Doheny, who ran the iconic World’s End pub in Camden High Street.

Mr Doheny was found dead in Pratt Street, Camden Town, in November last year and an inquest found he died from a head injury after drinking.

The court heard that Fitzpatrick, with co-defendant Maria Kitanous, 47, of Drovers Way, Holloway, “defiled” and “ransacked the body” of Mr Doheny, who was described as “vulnerable” and either unconscious or dead.

Fitzpatrick, a drug addict, had been in Camden to buy class A drugs and after seeing Mr Doheny’s body laying in the street, he and Kitanous took the landlord’s wallet, ignoring two others who told them to stop.

Fitzpatrick told the onlookers not to call police until they had got away.

The emergency services found £700 in cash beside the body, as well as a number of scattered cards.

Witnesses, Cosmos Scallion and Kerry Mustoe, directed police to Fitzpatrick’s home, where an empty wallet and a card belonging to Mr Doheny was found.

Judge Blackwell said during sentencing: “I acknowledge that [Fitzpatrick] has a sad and miserable background and a chaotic lifestyle. But we all live in this city and we have to rely on each other.

“Mr Doheny would have expected some measure of help from local citizens. You both defiled and ransacked this body and took what you could get.”

Fitzpatrick, who has 60 past convictions for 100 offences since 1975, pleaded guilty at his fourth appearance at Blackfriars Crown Court after he failed to attend court three times previously, once because he was unwell.

He was told he would be released on licence after serving part of his sentence.

Kitanous pleaded guilty to theft in February and was sentenced to 20 weeks imprisonment.