Two teenagers jailed for ten years over India Aroma restaurant arson
Two 17-year-olds have been jailed for ten years over a petrol-fuelled arson at the India Aroma restaurant in Ilford, which left two people critically injured.
The Full Story
A plain summary built from the channels that reported this story.
Two 17-year-olds have been sentenced to ten years in prison for an arson attack on an Indian restaurant in Ilford, East London. The Old Bailey heard that the attack on the India Aroma restaurant on the evening of 22 August last year was planned and random. Both defendants, who were 16 at the time and cannot be named, were given ten years with an extended licence of three years.
The court was told that three teenagers, including the two defendants, stormed into the restaurant wearing balaclavas and carrying machetes. One taunted customers with his machete and told them to sit still. Another poured petrol over furniture, the floor and people. The front door was then blocked. A piece of paper was lit and thrown inside, causing an explosion and a fireball.
Two people were left in a critical condition. Many others, including members of staff, were injured. Victim impact statements set out the trauma and physical harm caused. One victim, Vivek, and his wife suffered more than 50% burns. Footage from that night showed him running out of the restaurant with his body on fire. Another victim said she would carry the evidence of what was done to her on her skin for the world to see every day. She said her life had been upended by 30 seconds of somebody else's violence.
In sentencing, the judge said the incident required a high degree of planning and was a random attack on members of the public. The two teenagers were sentenced to 10 years in prison with an extended licence of three years. The court details and footage were described as extremely upsetting.
On screen
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Key Claims
Claims reported during this story's coverage, grouped by how many channels reported each one. Select a dot to see the source excerpt.
| Claim |  |
|---|---|
| Only on one channel | |
| The attack involved three teenagers, including the two defendants, entering the India Aroma restaurant in Ilford. | |
| The judge described the incident as highly planned and a random attack on members of the public. | |
| Two 17-year-olds were given ten-year prison sentences for attacking diners at a restaurant in East London in August last year. | |
Channel Perspectives
What each channel focused on, with key quotes.
The channel led from the Old Bailey with a correspondent focused on the attack sequence, the victims' injuries and the judge's sentencing remarks. It gave a strong warning about distressing evidence and showed limited footage of a victim running from the restaurant on fire. Its framing was factual and victim-centred, with no wider policy or community context.
- “The 17 year olds attacked diners in East London in August last year”
- “one of the teenagers Taught to taunted customers with his machete and told them to sit still while the other pulled petrol over the furniture over the floor over people before blocking the front door and then lighting a piece of paper and throwing it inside causing an explosion and A fireball”
- “the judge said that this incident required a high degree of planning and was a random attack on members of the public so as a result of that both teenagers were sentenced to 10 years in prison with an extended license of three years”
Broadcast Timeline
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