Robert Price, 76, died in agony after two teens launched a firework into his East London home

A frail widower was burned alive in his own East London home after two teenagers hurled a firework through his window in a shocking act of cruelty that has appalled the nation.

Robert Price, 76, lived a life of isolation and fear, tormented by local youths in his Dagenham neighbourhood. But the harassment he endured for years spiralled into a deadly act of violence when Nathan Otitodilchukwu, 18, and a 16-year-old accomplice launched a fatal firework attack on his property—laughing as flames engulfed the elderly man’s home.

The court heard harrowing details of how the teen duo, fuelled by malice and a thirst for chaos, filmed themselves with fireworks and boasted about their planned assault just minutes before the attack. Under cover of darkness, they smashed a window and threw a lit firework inside, igniting a blaze that would trap Mr Price in a deadly inferno.

CCTV captured the pair’s shameless behaviour as they fled the scene, their laughter echoing in the still night. Inside the house, smoke billowed and fire spread rapidly. A neighbour who rushed to help saw Mr Price respond to his desperate knocking—too late to escape. The pensioner was overcome by thick smoke and flames that tore through his modest home, leaving him no chance of survival.

Otitodilchukwu later bragged about his role in the attack, showing no sign of remorse. He even attempted to cover his tracks, swearing others to secrecy about what had happened. Despite his efforts, both he and the 16-year-old were eventually arrested and charged. They have now admitted manslaughter, though their actions, described in court as “evil,” have left deep scars on the local community.

Robert Price was remembered as a gentle, kind-hearted man who, despite personal struggles, remained generous to those around him. Friends and neighbours painted a heartbreaking picture of a reclusive figure pushed to the margins of society—harassed by gangs of youths, his windows regularly smashed, his calls for help seemingly unheard.

“He was let down,” said one neighbour. “Time and again he was targeted, and nothing stopped it. He deserved peace in his final years, not terror.”

The tragedy has sparked outrage across East London and beyond, with questions swirling over whether society is failing to protect its most vulnerable. Community members are demanding accountability—not just from the killers, but from authorities who many believe ignored a growing crisis.

In the courtroom, observers were chilled by the teens’ lack of emotion. Their grinning faces in video footage, taken moments before the attack, stood in stark contrast to the horror that followed. The court is expected to sentence the pair in June, with many hoping for a punishment that reflects the brutal nature of their crime.

Campaigners have since called for urgent action to tackle rising youth violence and antisocial behaviour. “We cannot let this happen again,” said one community organiser. “Robert’s death must be a wake-up call.”

As London grapples with the shocking case, the fire-damaged shell of Robert Price’s home stands as a grim monument to a tragedy that many believe could—and should—have been prevented. For his grieving family, no sentence will ease the pain of knowing his final moments were spent trapped in terror, abandoned by a society that failed to protect him.