82-year-old cancer patient robbed in sickening attack dies

An 82-year-old cancer patient who had his golden bracelet and watch stolen in a heartless robbery has now died, police have said.

Ahmet Dobran was assaulted last summer in Newham, East London, by three thugs who punched him in the neck and arms and seemed to be laughing as they fled the scene.

The victim, who lost his gold bracelet and Longines wristwatch in the robbery, died in hospital in the early hours of Monday, the MailOnline reported.

The great-grandfather, who used a walking stick, broke his back in three places when the attackers pinned him to the ground and was induced into a coma after the August attack.

He was moved to a nursing home but the attack aggravated his Parkinson's condition, police said.

Following the attack his family shared a photograph of Mr Dobran struggling in hospital while a police officer described the injuries as the worst he had seen from such an incident.

Meanwhile police have released CCTV images of two people they would like to speak to in connection with the attack. Police said they do not yet know whether Mr Dobran died as a result of the attack.

One man, aged 33, was arrested and charged with robbery in December, but the other two men are yet to be identified. A post-mortem examination is yet to take place.

Mr Dobran was described by a police officer at the time as "a proper character within the area' and 'a friendly guy".

Iain Wallace, Detective Inspector of Newham CID, said Mr Dobran's family were 'utterly devastated' by the news.

He said: "Mr Dobran was hospitalised following the attack in August and had been in an induced coma for several weeks until he was recently introduced to a nursing home.

"Sadly Mr Dobran's health deteriorated soon after and he was taken to hospital and passed away.

"Whilst we are unable to ascertain at this time that he died as a result of the attack, we do know that are the very least it may have aggravated other existing conditions. We await the results of the post-mortem to determine this.

"Whilst one of the men has now been identified and charged we are still keen to trace two other men who are still outstanding.

"Someone knows who these men are and I would urge them to come forward to stop them from using the same level of violence on another vulnerable person."