Ilford station worker died after punch, jury told

An Elizabeth Line worker died after being punched once by a passenger who had missed his train, the Inner London Crown Court was told. Jorge Ortega, 61, suffered a fatal brain injury two days after the incident at Ilford station on December 4, 2024. Ayodele Jamgbadi, 28, of Kingston Road in Ilford, is charged with Mr Ortega's murder. However, Mr Jamgbadi was not present in court as his trial began because he is unfit to stand trial due to mental health issues and is currently receiving hospital treatment, Judge Benedict Kelleher explained to the jury.

Jury's role in the trial

Judge Kelleher informed the jury that their role was not to determine Mr Jamgbadi's guilt or innocence of murder. Instead, they must decide whether Mr Jamgbadi punched Mr Ortega and whether that action led to his death. Prosecutor Patrick Dennis told the court that Mr Ortega, who had worked for Elizabeth line operator MTREL for over 24 years, was on a break in the staff office near platform 3 when the incident occurred.

Events leading to the incident

CCTV footage showed Mr Jamgbadi arriving at the station and missing a train to Stratford. Following this, he repeatedly kicked an advertisement frame. Mr Ortega and two other staff members emerged from their office to calm Mr Jamgbadi down. As Mr Ortega retreated, Mr Jamgbadi delivered a single punch to his face, causing him to fall and hit his head, rendering him unconscious. Mr Jamgbadi then exhibited aggressive behaviour towards other staff before leaving the platform.

Police arrested Mr Jamgbadi less than 14 hours later as he attempted to enter the same station. During his arrest, he reportedly told officers, "What are you going to do about it? I literally punched him in the face. Are you going to nick me? Nick me then." Mr Ortega died on December 6, two days after the assault, from a severe traumatic brain injury sustained when he fell and hit the concrete platform.

The prosecution stated that CCTV also showed Mr Jamgbadi acting aggressively upon his approach to the station, including kicking a shop window and pushing through ticket barriers without payment. Mr Dennis concluded his outline by stating, "In short, it was the punch which caused Mr Ortega to fall backwards and hit his head on the concrete platform and tragically caused his death. There we say there can be no doubt that the defendant punching Mr Ortega caused his death."

What happens next

The trial continues. Mr Ortega's family previously paid tribute to him as a loving father, grandfather, and husband, describing him as a kind soul who always put others first.