Former diplomat admits to brutal murder of LGBT+ rights leader
Aubrey was 55 (Metropolitan Police)
A former Uruguay diplomat has admitted to killing leading LGBT+ rights activist Julian Aubrey, who was found stabbed to death in November.
Enrique Facelli, 49, attacked Aubrey in his West Kensington home following a “long-standing” dispute between the two neighbours, reports Press Association.
Facelli was charged earlier this year and was set to go on trial at the Old Bailey, but has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
The campaigner “helped a lot of people” (julian aubrey/Facebook)
Prosecutor Tom Little QC said that the lesser charge had been accepted after two psychiatric reports were made available.
Julian Aubrey was a former co-chairman of London’s Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea LGBT liaison group who his brother-in-law Nigel Turner told the Evening Standard had “helped a lot of people.”
Turner added: “Julian was a great guy. I can’t come to terms with what happened.
Aubrey was killed after a “long-standing” dispute between the two neighbours (julian aubrey/Facebook)
“He had his problems, but he had a lot of time for other people,” he continued.
“He did a lot of counselling work. He was a good counsellor, he had great empathy, and I’m sure he helped a lot of people.
“He loved art; he loved people. It’s all a bit raw.”
Aubrey, 55, worked as a counsellor with victims of sexual abuse, offering help to patients who dealt with what he called “embedded pain.”
He was recognised by Princess Anne for his work (julian aubrey/Facebook)
In 2014, he was recognised by Princess Anne for his work counselling victims of sexual abuse.
An arrest was made at Clapham Junction in the early hours of Sunday morning (August 5) after a man unleashed a horrifying stream of anti-gay abuse and threats at people coming back from Brighton and Hove Pride.
After the parade – which was attended by more than 300,000 people – and the website-crashing Britney Spears performance which closed out the Pride festivities, attendees made their way home.
Thousands were crushed and stranded outside the train station in Brighton as police temporarily eliminated access and suspended the service.
Around 57,000 people attended Britney’s performance (ettolrahcb88/twitter)
And for some of those who avoided the chaos and got a train, there was a horrifying reminder of the anti-gay hate which exists outside of the Pride bubble.
In a video of the incident, filmed by journalist Benjamin Butterworth, the abuser can be seen asking: “Why are you so angry ’cause I’m calling you a faggot?”
Passengers can be heard telling him: “You’re an embarrassment” and recommending that he “suck s**t and die.”
On train back from @PrideBrighton, a man threatened to pull a knife on me and others and stab us for being gay. He called us peadophiles and dirty and shouted gay people need to all be killed. The video is a fraction of what he said, as was too scared & shaken to film. pic.twitter.com/j60xfcPua4
— Benjamin Butterworth (@benjaminbutter) August 5, 2018
Butterworth said he was “almost crying” during the torrent of abuse and threats.
“The man got on the train at a stop between Brighton and London – I don’t know which because, like most people, I was fast asleep. The train carriage was almost totally silent when he got on,” Butterworth recalled.
“Then he started shouting homophobic abuse – he yelled that gay people are paedophiles, ungodly, freaks, failures to their parents.
“Then he said he was going to pull a blade out and stab every gay person on the train.”
