[ad_1]
A teenager has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering a 16-year-old boy with a “zombie” knife in a busy south London train station.
On January 27, the victim, Louis Johnson, was traveling through the East Croydon station with a friend shortly before 4:30 p.m.
A 17-year-old boy approached Louis and his friend on the station’s upper bridge, pulling out a large blade hidden in his pants.
Find out how you can get more news from SurreyLive straight to your inbox HERE.
He used this to stab Louis once in the chest. Despite the best efforts of paramedics, Louis died at the scene as a result of his injury.
SurreyLive reported on the incident when a police cordon was set up near Ruskin Square.
A witness, who asked to remain anonymous, told us: “Someone passed me with a machete as I was walking towards East Croydon station, when I got to the top of the stairs there was blood everywhere and a boy collapsed in the ticket office by the barriers.
“It didn’t look very good, staff and security were available.”
The teenage murderer made his way through the barrier immediately after the attack, and CCTV shows him leaving the station with the murder weapon in hand.
He turned himself in to police two days after traveling to Chichester. He had shaved his long hair during this time in an apparent attempt to disguise his appearance.
Three days after the incident, a knife matching the description of the murder weapon was recovered from a poultry shop in Tooting.
The 17-year-old was sentenced to life in prison at the Old Bailey on Friday (October 16) and will serve a minimum sentence of 16 years.
Natalie Secka, Louis’ devastated mother, read an emotional statement in court, MyLondon reports.
The distraught mother said: “Louis was taken from us when he was 16 years old. The life of our family has not been the same since that day.
“Louis left a huge void in our lives and we miss him immensely. Louis was a good son, a good brother and a good family man.”
(Image: British Transport Police / PA)
‘A horrific and blatant act of violence’
Sam Blackburn, Detective Superintendent of the British Transport Police, said: “Frankly, it is unthinkable that anyone would think of committing such a horrible and blatant act of violence, let alone in broad daylight in a busy station full of commuters and school children. .
“Louis was only sixteen with his whole life ahead of him, and he has left behind a heartbroken family that is understandably still trying to come to terms with their loss.
“Personally, I would like to thank the brave witnesses who not only helped save Louis’ life, but also showed the courage to go to court and relive the heartbreaking events of that Monday afternoon.”
“While no verdict or prison sentence will be fair enough to them, I hope they can take comfort in the fact that the individual has been convicted today and will now spend a significant number of years in prison.”
[ad_2]
