Man guilty of stabbing murder of ex-partner's dad

A man has been found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend's father in a "frenzied" knife attack.

Kamar Williams, 34, stabbed bus driver Derek Thomas, 55, as the older man was walking home from work in Stoke Newington, north-east London, last July.

The Old Bailey heard that Williams had been out looking for Mr Thomas's daughter Carron but, after failing to find her, spotted the bus driver and got out of his van to launch the fatal attack.

The defendant, from the Isle of Dogs in east London, went on the run before being caught at Notting Hill Carnival. He was detained after crashing a hired BMW and fleeing on foot, with police in pursuit.

Anthony Orchard KC, prosecuting, had told jurors that on the evening of the killing, 30 July, Ms Thomas received threatening and abusive texts from Williams.

She called police twice before her father was attacked, the court heard.

Williams went to Mr Thomas's home looking for him or his daughter, but they were not in.

As he drove off in his van, he spotted Mr Thomas walking home near Stoke Newington Common at about 23:00 BST.

Williams stopped in the middle of the road, got out and stabbed Mr Thomas.

Mr Orchard said: "Mr Thomas was struck by the knife on five occasions in different places in what was, you may think, a frenzied attack."

Giving evidence, Williams claimed he had acted in self-defence after the victim produced a knife.

He told jurors he took the weapon from Mr Thomas and stabbed him with it. Williams claimed he had only wanted to talk to the bus driver about Ms Thomas.

The jury unanimously found Williams guilty of murder and guilty of having a bladed article by an 11-to-one majority.

The verdicts were delivered after deliberations of nearly 18 hours.

Judge Angela Rafferty KC adjourned sentencing until Friday 18 July.

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