Killer jailed for 22 years after M&S shop assistant stabbed to death
Killer is jailed for 22 years after innocent M&S shop assistant, 22, was stabbed to death on his way home from work just because he lived in the wrong postcode
- Ta-Jaun Subaran, 21, was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 22 years
- Anthony Adekola, 22, was randomly selected as the victim of a taxi ‘ride out’
- Tried to sprint away but tripped over a bollard, in Colindale, northwest London
- Stabbed at least nine times to his head, his face, his back, his chest and his neck
- Christian Medina, 22, was also involved and jailed for life with minimum 21 years
A killer has been jailed for 22 years for stabbing an innocent M&S shop assistant to death while he was walking home from work just because he lived in the wrong area.
Ta-Jaun Subaran, 21, and two youths, aged 16 at the time, were convicted of their roles in the murder in November 2021.
Subaran was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 22 years, while the 17-year-olds were detained for life and handed minimum terms of 18 years and 17 years and six months respectively.
Anthony Adekola, 22, had no links to gangs and was selected as the victim of a taxi ‘ride out’ at random by his attackers because he was from a rival postcode.
Ta-Jaun Subaran, 21, was jailed for life and ordered to serve at least 22 years while the 17-year-olds were detained for life and handed minimum terms of 18 years and 17 years and six months respectively
He was returning home from a shift when youths leapt out of two cabs and chased after him.
Mr Adekola tried to sprint away but tripped over a bollard, in Colindale, northwest London.
He was stabbed at least nine times to his head, neck, back and chest and was left to die, the Old Bailey heard.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years and six months.
Rehal Theobolds, 21, who was alleged to have stayed with the cabs and made them wait for two minutes while the victim was attacked was found not guilty of murder and of conspiracy to commit actual bodily harm by the jury on Wednesday.
Anthony Adekola, pictured, was stabbed at least nine times to his head, neck, back and chest and was left to die
Mr Adekola’s mother Foluke Adekola told the court that her son was killed a short distance from their home.
‘I cannot believe that your life was taken from us,’ she said. ‘Over two years have now passed.
‘I have moments watching a programme, listening to a song or watching the news and my heart skips a beat because it brings back a memory from you.
‘I miss you coming back from work and saying “hello my beautiful mother” and complaining about a lousy day at work.
‘You were absolutely loved by everyone who had the pleasure of meeting you.’
The mother added: ‘There are days I can see at the window some of your friends at your memorial spot, which makes me feel so positive an emotion because they are thinking of you always.
‘Going through these court proceedings twice has affected my mental health, I have had to be strong for my whole family, sit through it and be strong.
‘I have had to sit and endure listening to detailed information surrounding his death.
‘Knowing this was an unprovoked and senseless attack, over a postcode which did not belong to anyone, breaks my heart even more.
‘Four weeks ago his brother had a baby. I’m sad Anthony’s been robbed of the opportunity to be an uncle and watch him grow.
Mr Adekola’s mother Foluke Adekola told the court that her son was killed a short distance from their home
‘Anthony, my son, I love you today, tomorrow and forever.’
Judge Simon Mayo told Medina: ‘Anthony Adekola was just 22 years old when he was murdered. He was a much loved son and brother.
‘I wish to pay tribute to the quiet composure and dignity with which Anthony’s mother and family have conducted themselves throughout these proceedings.
‘It is humbling to see the strength and courage seen in the face of such tragedy.
‘That courage stands in stark contrast to the cowardice you and your friends displayed when you chased him and stabbed him to death.
‘You and seven friends, who were all members of or closely associated with a gang operating in NW4, set off in two taxis into a neighbouring postcode, NW9, with the sole purpose of attacking someone in that area.’
He added: ‘Your motive, to show those in NW9 that you were capable of killing someone in their territory, is as shocking as it is senseless.
‘In a cruel twist of fate, as the taxis pulled up Anthony Adekola walked into that road.
The M&S shop assistant was stabbed at least nine times to his head, neck, back and chest and was dead when paramedics arrived, the Old Bailey, pictured, heard
‘Your group chased after him, caught up with him in an alleyway and when he tripped and fell he was immediately attacked with knives by the group.
‘In the course of the attack he was stabbed at least nine times to his head, his face, his back, his chest and his neck.
‘The stab wound to his neck cut through his jugular vein.
‘The attacking group left him on floor, fatally wounded and returned to the waiting taxis. The attack was callous, ruthless and cowardly.’
Judge Mayo continued: ‘Anthony died alone in that alleyway, only found by friends and family two hours later, by which time he was already dead.
‘You are closely associated with the NW4 gang through your close friendship with members of that gang.
‘You arrived at the scene with the shared intention to stab and kill.’
Medina had told the court at trial that he had recognised Mr Adekola, and tried to persuade his friends to stop the attack.
Judge Mayo said: ‘I’m prepared to accept you may have recognised Anthony Adekola.
‘I’m sure however you did not attempt to persuade the others not to harm him.
‘You have little credibility as a witness, you repeatedly lied in the first trial having agreed with your friend to say that neither of you got into the taxis.
‘I cannot however be sure you were one of the seven who ran into the alleyway and attacked Anthony.
‘I cannot be sure you didn’t have a late change of mind about the stabbing.
‘However, I can be sure any reluctance was due to the identity of the victim and I am sure you would have been involved in a physical attack of any other victim your group encountered.’
Prosecutor Hugh Davies, earlier told jurors: ‘At 9pm on an otherwise unremarkable, dry and dark evening, Anthony Adekola left the branch of Marks and Spencer on Capitol Way in Colindale, northwest London.
‘That’s where he worked. He also lived in NW9, a suburban part of this capital city, and his journey home from work involved only a short and familiar walk.
‘Mr Adekola never made it home. He was nearly home when he got to Booth Road. At just about the same time, two taxis, one of them a large one pulled up, out of which got eight young men, who stood together on the pavement.
‘They told the two cab drivers to wait for them, because they’d only be a minute. One male, the ninth, waited with the taxis.
‘Mr Adekola’s walk took him directly past the group. There is no reason to think he knew any of them, or that any of them knew him, but he stopped by them, and it looks as if there was some brief conversation.
‘Suddenly, perhaps because something was said, or perhaps some sixth sense told Mr Adekola that he was not safe, he turned away and ran away from the group. As a pack they immediately chased after him.’
Mr Adekola sprinted along the road and down an alleyway to a park.
‘At the mouth of the alleyway he turned in to there are three stone bollards and, in his panic, Mr Adekola ran into one of them and fell to the ground.
‘Although he got straight up and ran on, the chasing pack was gaining ground. Seven of them turned into the alleyway and continued to chase him.
‘Further along that path they caught up with their victim. It is obvious from his injuries that when this group caught him, he was brutally attacked.
‘The taxis drivers were, entirely unbeknown to them, the getaway drivers and they had to be held there for that purpose.’
Four days after the murder on 5 September 2020, a snapchat message was found on an iPad belonging to one of the 16-year-old killers which said: ‘Grahame Park and Hendon are having a war because of the stabbing that happened (RIP lizzy) so when you finished skl no more concourse it’s straight home cause if Hendon man catch you it’s peak cause they don’t care.’
The court heard Lizzy was Mr Adekola’s nickname and the Grahame Park Estate is in NW9, while Hendon is in NW4.
Medina, of Lowers Fosters, Hendon, denied but was convicted of murder.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 21 years and six months.
Ta-Jaun Subaran, of Lower Fosters, Hendon, denied but was convicted of murder.
Theobolds, of Newhaven Lane, Canning Town, east London, denied and was cleared of murder and conspiracy to commit actual bodily harm.
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