Pensioner’s final steps: Just wanting to go home from a nice evening in the Hercules pub, CCTV in Holloway Road captured Fredi Rivero’s last moments before the attack which would claim his life

THREE teenage girls will be sentenced for manslaughter after admitting the unlawful killing of a pensioner in the street.

The accused – aged 14, 16 and 17 at the time of the attack – appeared by videolink at the Old Bailey yesterday (Thursday) to enter their guilty pleas. They cannot be identified due to their age.

All three were arrested and charged after the death of 75-year-old Fredi Rivero at the end of February.

He was attacked at a bus stop in Holloway Road as he made his way home from the Hercules pub. Further details of what happened were not heard in court, although police said that one of the accused had filmed the incident on their mobile phone.

Mr Rivero’s daughter, ex-wife and cousins watched from the court room as the three teenage girls accepted the charge.

Detective Inspector Devan Taylor said: “The young defendants have now accepted they were responsible for the killing of Mr Rivero, in what was a senseless and completely out of the blue attack on a lone elderly man.”

The horse drawn carriage at Fredi Rivero’s funeral

He added: “The age of the defendants adds to the devastating nature of this incident and they will now have to deal with the enormity of their actions.

“I would like to offer my heart-felt sympathy to Mr Rivero’s family for their loss and express my admiration for the dignity they have shown throughout the investigation.

“I also wish to thank the members of public who went to Mr Rivero’s aid as he lay injured.”

Mr Rivero had died in hospital the day after the incident on February 28.

In an interview with the Tribune earlier this year, Mr Rivero’s daughter – who does not want to be named for fear of reprisals – paid tribute to her father as a “gentle” and “kind-hearted gentleman” who was friends with everyone.

Mr Rivero had worked for luxury Mayfair hotel Dukes for more than 25 years until his retirement, and was a talented painter and calligraphist who enjoyed playing chess, listening to the band Queen and stargazing with his only daughter.

Fredi Rivero was attacked in Holloway Road

He was a man of routine and simple pleasures in his retire­ment, his daughter said.

After yesterday’s guilty pleas, a statement to the Tribune on behalf of Mr Rivero’s family and friends said: “The loss of our beloved dad, husband, brother, uncle and dear friend has caused immense sorrow for us.”

They added: “The fact that those girls have taken accountability for the immense harm they have done by pleading guilty is insufficient because nothing will ever bring back our beloved and gentle Fredi. We will see what sentences they get in September.”

A provisional date for sentencing was set for September 5.