Former Diplomat Admits Manslaughter of Julian Aubrey in West Kensington
Enrique Facelli stabbed LGBT activist after 'long-standing' dispute with neighbour
Facelli, 49, pictured below, who lived in a neighbouring flat to the victim, admitted fatally stabbing him on 30 October 2017 following a "long-standing" dispute between the two men.
Facelli was due to go on trial but pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility at a hearing at the Old Bailey.
He was sentenced to a Hospital Order under section 37 of the Mental Health Act and given a Restriction Order under section 41 of the MHA.
Mr Aubrey, 55, was formerly co-chairman of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea LGBT liaison group and had been recognised by the Princess Royal for his work counselling victims of sexual abuse.
The court heard that tradesmen discovered him lying in the hallway of his flat with 22 stab wounds at around 1.45pm on 30 October.
He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics from the London Ambulance Service and a post-mortem held the following day at St George's Hospital Mortuary gave the cause of death as multiple stab wounds.
The court heard how Facelli and his victim lived in the same block of flats, where they had both been resident for around 19 years. The pair had originally been friends, but their relationship deteriorated over recent years.
Prosecutor Tom Little QC said the killing followed "many years of allegations and counter-allegations between the neighbours".
He said these had escalated to a point where Facelli showed "extreme signs of paranoia" and had claimed his victim had "studied the dark arts" and was a devil worshipper.
In mitigation, Patrick Gibbs QC said Facelli had been an intelligent individual who spent 18 years working as the cultural attaché for the embassy of Uruguay in London.
But he had been "driven quite out of his wits" and had been sectioned before the killing, Mr Gibbs said.
On the day of the incident, Facelli claimed to have seen Julian's body on the floor inside his flat and did not enter the property. Instead, he claimed he alerted workmen who were working downstairs.
The workmen went inside Julian's flat where they discovered his body and called emergency services.
Officers arrested Facelli at the scene on suspicion of murder. He was subsequently released under investigation while enquiries continued.
On 27 February 2018, he was re-arrested on suspicion of murder, following results of forensic testing. Facelli's watch was seized at the scene on the day of the murder, and subsequent tests found traces of Mr Aubrey's blood on the strap, despite him saying he had not even entered his flat.
Facelli was subsequently charged with murder.
Detective Inspector Jon Meager of the Homicide and Major Crime Command who led the investigation said:"It is clear from our investigations that a number of factors contributed to the deterioration of the relationship between Facelli and Mr Aubrey, which unfortunately resulted in the latter losing his life.
"Despite Facelli originally claiming to have had no involvement in the death, forensic examinations helped us to prove that he had been lying about this and made it obvious how he had attempted to cover his tracks.
"I hope that the sentencing today brings some comfort to Mr Aubrey's family and friends, in the knowledge that Facelli will not be able to inflict such pain on anyone else."
Julian's sister Louise Turner described him as a "kind, sensitive, gentle, sincere and caring" man and in a victim impact statement said: "Julian did not deserve such an evil and horrific death."
She added: "Julian's death has turned my life upside down and has affected me in a way that I could never have imagined.
"The sadness that I feel is immeasurable and unprecedented. I will be eternally sad and I cry inside and out for him. My poor, unfortunate but totally brilliant brother. I feel depressed all of the time."
Four other men who were arrested in connection with the murder have been released with no further action.
August 8, 2018
