Brixton: Man found guilty of three slashing attacks - carried out two days before he murdered woman
Mohamed Nur murdered Johanita Kossiwa Dogbey with a makeshift blade on 1 May last year. Two days earlier, he attacked three others - Rebecca Wilkes, Tomasz Kmiecik and Katie Matthews.
Monday 13 May 2024 19:09, UK
A man has been found guilty of a series of slashing attacks against three strangers, carried out just days before he murdered a woman.
Mohamed Nur, 34, admitted cutting the throat of Johanita Kossiwa Dogbey, in south London, with a makeshift blade so that she died on 1 May last year.
He had to stand trial at the Old Bailey however after he denied attacking Rebecca Wilkes, Tomasz Kmiecik and Katie Matthews in south London at 11.30pm last 29 April.
Ms Dogbey, 31, had been walking alone in Stockwell Park Walk in Brixton after going into central London to do some shopping.
Nur attacked her from behind and she died at the scene.
Three days earlier, Ms Wilkes, Mr Kmiecik and Ms Matthews were attacked in a similar fashion, with the slashings carried out in rapid succession.
At around 11.30pm on 29 April, in Brixton, Ms Wilkes was grabbed from behind and slashed on her right cheek, resulting in a 9cm cut.
Not long after, Mr Kmiecik suffered a 15cm-long cut to his face. Ms Matthews was then injured and left with a 6cm cut.
Prosecutor Julian Evans KC told jurors: "In each case, the victim did nothing to confront or provoke the man who attacked them.
"Each victim was attacked without warning and for no apparent reason."
He said Nur was wearing the same clothes - described as a distinctive jacket and a top with a black hood pulled down over his face - when he attacked Ms Dogbey two days later.
Nur was eventually stopped on 2 May after being approached by police in Brixton High Street carrying a piece of broken mirror which he fashioned into a weapon.
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Tap hereJurors deliberated on the verdict for an hour and 47 minutes before finding him guilty of the three charges of unlawful wounding.
Nur, who is in custody, declined to attend his trial but the court heard he had sent multiple letters.
The jury was not told Nur had admitted the murder because of a reporting restriction, which was removed after the verdicts.
Two jurors were said to be "shocked" and "distressed" after learning that Ms Dogbey had died from the attack.
The Old Bailey also head Nur had previous convictions for possession of drugs, driving matters and possession of sharpened implements.
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Nur will be sentenced on 23 May.
Judge Angela Rafferty KC said he had also committed "a number of contempt of court offences", which will also be dealt with at his sentencing.
Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Webb, the senior investigating officer who led the investigation into Nur, said the Met Police put extra units on the street in Brixton after the first four attacks.
He added: "It was as a result of a stop and search carried out by one of these units in the early hours of 2 May in the same area of Brixton that the 29 April attacks were carried out, that Nur was arrested. He was found carrying a crude makeshift weapon, similar to the type used in the previous attacks.
"Given his previous actions, it can only be assumed he intended on carrying out further attacks but thanks to the intervention by these officers, he was stopped in his tracks."