Man jailed for manslaughter after death of flatmate in Swindon
Fatih Zengi was found seriously injured on Manchester Road in Swindon in July last year
Last updated 23rd Jan 2026
A 32-year-old man has been jailed for 12 years after being found guilty of manslaughter following the death of his flatmate in Swindon last year (2025).
Following a two-week trial at Bristol Crown Court Erdogan Erdogan was yesterday (January 22) convicted of manslaughter in relation to the death of his former flatmate 27-year-old Fatih Zengi in July 2025.
He was also found guilty of the possession of a bladed article.
Erdogan, who lived in Manchester Road, Swindon, had denied killing his former flatmate and carrying a knife publicly.
The court heard that shortly after 5am on 2nd July 2025, police were alerted by a cyclist to a seriously injured man on Manchester Road in Swindon.
Despite the efforts of officers and paramedics at the scene, Faith died from his injuries.
"Fatih was a hard-working young man"
Detective Chief Inspector Phil Walker, who led the investigation, said: “This is a tragic case where a young life has been senselessly lost.
"I would like to offer my condolences to the family and friends of Fatih and praise them for their dignity during this investigation.
"I would also like to extend my thanks to the Turkish community in Swindon for their support to the investigation. Without this, we would not have achieved the verdict returned today.
“Fatih was a hard-working young man who was dedicated to supporting his wider family in Turkey and was well thought of in the local community. His death has been devastating for all who knew him.
“I hope that today’s guilty verdict will help provide some comfort to those who loved and knew Fatih.”
"A quiet angel"
In a statement to the court Fatih’s mother, Meryem Canli, expressed the impact that the death has had:
“My youngest son, Fatih Zengi was brutally killed.
"As the youngest in the family, I had raised him with a different kind of affection compared to his siblings. For this reason when I received news of his death, I remained in shock for a long time.
"My son Fatih Zengi was far more attached to his family, and especially to me, than his siblings.
"From a young age he worked under kinds of difficult conditions to support his family and fought hard to bring us into a better position. I wanted him to remain in my memory as I had raised him. However, when I saw his face uncovered at the funeral, in that state, I do not even want to remember it.
"My son was a quiet angel and they tore him away from us. My son Fatih was the one who earned the living for our whole family abroad. Now what will I do? I do not know how I can live with this pain. I have complete faith in your supreme justice. The person who killed my son, my angel, will not go unpunished."
"I have felt a void in the world"
Fatih’s brother, Burak Zengi, also paid tribute:
“My brother Fatih was the most beloved member of our family. He did everything he could for us, both financially and emotionally.
"Since his death I have felt a void in the world.
"I feel as if I have lost my sense of reality. Being in limbo is a terrible state. I feel as if I have lost my sense of reality. I feel utterly shattered. My brother provided for the entire family’s livelihood.
“Our family has been ruined, both financially and emotionally. I place my trust in your country’s justice system. The killing of my brother will not go unpunished.”