Two men have been jailed at the Old Bailey following two serious knife attacks that were committed within the space of an hour
Collins Adesoji, 20, (26.01.98) of Listowel Close, SW9 was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment on Tuesday, 27 March having been convicted of conspiracy to commit assault causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
Bujwawne Brooks, 19 (08.04.98) of Lakeview Road, SE27 was sentenced to 13 years’ imprisonment at the same hearing having been convicted of the same offences.
They had previously been found guilty on 8 December 2017.
The two incidents happened on the afternoon of 27 December 2016.
In the first attack, a boy – aged 16 at the time – was stabbed near to Oval Underground Station at around 17:00hrs. He was taken to hospital for treatment to his injury.
It has never been established who inflicted the stab injury or the exact location of the incident. However, a police investigation found that both Adesoji and Brooks had been among a group of males who had been involved in an altercation with the victim and three of his associates during which the teenager was stabbed.
It is believed that this attack was associated with the defendants’ gang activities.
Adesoji drove away from the scene in a Ford Focus, which also contained Brooks and at least one other passenger.
Around 45 minutes later, Adesoji and Brooks were in the same Ford Focus on Coldharbour Lane in Brixton when they confronted two boys who had been with the victim of the earlier stabbing.
They followed the boys in the Ford Focus to Windrush Square, where a funfair, busy with families and children, was operating.
The Ford Focus mounted the pavement and collided with an 18-year-old man sitting on his bicycle who had not been involved in the earlier incidents.
The man was knocked off his bicycle before being attacked by one of the occupants of the Ford Focus, who stabbed him in the thigh whilst he was on the ground trying to fend off the blows. The identity of the man who carried out the stabbing has not been established; however the court heard that Adesoji and Brooks were two of the three occupants of the car.
They attempted to make off in the vehicle by reversing down Rushcroft Road, but due to the damage sustained in the collision, they abandoned it and made off on foot.
The victim’s femoral artery was severed – an injury which is often fatal – but a doctor passing by the scene administered life-saving first aid by using her scarf as a tourniquet to stem the flow of blood. She was also helped by members of the public until police and an ambulance arrived at the scene.
The Met’s Trident and Area Crime Command launched an investigation, and linked the two incidents.
The abandoned vehicle was linked to Adesoji, and forensic evidence from the car and phone evidence linked Brooks to the offences.
Adesoji was arrested on 30 December 2016. Brooks was arrested on 6 June 2017.
These men went out that day intent on committing serious violence on, possibly rival gang members, the reasons for which are still unclear.
Detective Constable Patrick White who led the investigation said: “The actions of Adesoji and Brooks resulted in a young teenager being stabbed in Kennington and a violent attack on a young man in Brixton at a funfair.
“They used an extreme level of violence and showed a total disregard for families and children who were at the funfair.
“We will not allow these kind of community events to be used by gangs for criminal purposes.
“This type of violence will not be tolerated on the streets of London, and we have worked tirelessly to bring these types of violent offenders to justice.
“Anyone with information about those involved in gang activity and violence can call police via 101. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or through their website.”
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