Clapham thug took own life by jumping in Thames hours after chemical attack on ex and her two daughters, inquest told
CHEMICAL fiend Abdul Ezedi took his own life by jumping in the Thames hours after a horror attack on his ex and her two children, an inquest heard.
The convicted sex offender, 35, poured a corrosive substance on the woman in Clapham, South West London, after luring her into meeting him.
He also slammed her youngest child’s head on the ground during the attack.
Ezedi was pulled from the River Thames on February 19 after 20 days on the run.
An inquest into his death heard today how he would have drowned “almost immediately” after jumping into the water from Chelsea Bridge.
Senior coroner Mary Hassell said: “The circumstances of Mr Ezedi’s death are in part clear and in part less clear. I accept the evidence of the Metropolitan Police Service that he is likely to have entered the River Thames from Chelsea bridge at approximately 11.30pm on 31 January 2024.
“It seems to be highly likely that he drowned almost immediately. Although he was not found until 19 February 2024, I shall give the date of his death as 31 January.
“I am wholly satisfied that no other person was involved and that he entered the water alone, I’m also satisfied on the balance of probabilities that he entered the water intending to take his life. Which means that a determination of suicide is appropriate.”
Poplar Coroner’s Court was told Ezedi injured 12 people in the attack on January 31.
He tricked his ex-girlfriend into meeting him then doused her and her daughters, aged three and eight, in their car.
A huge manhunt was launched and the fugitive’s details were shared with all UK police forces and ports.
A £20,000 reward was also offered for information leading to his capture.
The inquest was told police trawled CCTV and discovered Ezedi crashed his car then jumped on the Tube after fleeing.
He was seen on Chelsea Bridge at 11.24pm and again a minute later as he crossed the road and walked back the way he came.
CCTV footage showed him standing “near to a railing on the west footpath” of the bridge at around 11.32pm.
The attacker was not seen again – wit h cops believing he jumped in the Thames between 11.28pm and 11.32pm.
PC Craig Dunkason said Ezedi was found “face down in the water” wearing a “dark coloured jacket”.
He was identified using his fingerprints that were held on the police database, the court heard.
A post mortem found no evidence of “deep chemical burns” but Ezedi was “significantly decomposed”.
The Afghan arrived in the UK in January 2016 but his initial asylum claim – and a further bid the following year – were rejected by the Home Office.
In 2018, Ezedi was handed a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court after he admitted sexual assault and exposure.
He was placed on the sex offenders’ register for ten years and ordered to carry out 200 hours of unpaid work.
A year later, Ezedi launched a challenge against his asylum claim with the First-tier Tribunal’s Immigration and Asylum Chamber.
This was granted and the appeal took place in November 2020 despite concerns over whether his conversion was “genuine”.