Man slashed three strangers with blade before killing woman walking in street

He faces life in jail after a guilty verdict today.

A man who slashed three strangers with a blade before cutting a woman’s throat and killing her as she walked down the street faces life in jail.

Mohamed Nur carried out his unprovoked rampage on April 29 and May 1 last year in south London.

He previously pleaded guilty to the murder of Johanita Kossiwa Dogbey, 31, but denied the earlier three attacks.

He was found guilty of those at the Old Bailey today following a trial.

All four victims were unknown to Nur. The 34-year-old was armed with a makeshift blade when he murdered Ms Dogbey in broad daylight.

She had been walking alone in Stockwell Park Walk, Brixton after going into central London to do some shopping.

She was attacked from behind by a man wearing all dark clothing and died at the scene.

A post-mortem showed her cause of death was a sharp force trauma to the neck.

Nur admitted having a blade made from scissors on the day Ms Dogbey was killed, as well as carrying another weapon made from broken glass the following day when he was arrested in Brixton High Street.

The Old Bailey trial had focused on the three attacks which happened in quick succession in Brixton at around 11.30pm last April 29.

The first victim, Rebecca Wilkes, was approached from behind, grabbed and slashed on her right cheek, causing a 9cm cut.

The second victim, Tomasz Kmiecik, suffered a 15cm facial cut and the third victim, Katie Matthews, sustained a 6cm wound to her face.

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.

‘In short, all three attacks were completely random. There is nothing to suggest that the man who carried out the attacks knew anything about any of three victims.’

The slasher was said to be wearing a distinctive jacket and a top with a black hood pulled down over his face.

Nur, from Vauxhall, south London was wearing the same clothes when he attacked Ms Dogbey two days later.

Mr Evans told jurors: ‘He approached her from behind, and without warning, attacked her from behind with a weapon, which caused her injury.’

In regards to the three earlier attacks, Mr Evans said: ‘As far as his case is concerned, it is understood that it boils down to a simple point: identification.

‘It is his case that he was not the person who carried out the attacks.’

Nur, who declined to attend his Old Bailey trial, was found guilty of three charges of unlawful wounding after the jury deliberated for one hour and 47 minutes.

A reporting ban on Nur’s guilty plea to the murder charge was lifted after the verdict was read out.

Two jurors were left ‘shocked’ and ‘distressed’ at the news. Judge Angela Rafferty KC excused the panel from jury service for 10 years in light of the revelation.

Nur remains in custody and will be sentenced at a later date.

After her death Ms Dogbey’s loved ones described her as a ‘smart, dedicated and loving girl who always helped anyone’.

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