Moment killers 'fist bump' in alley after stabbing 18-year-old to death

18 January 2020, 11:01

By Asher McShane

This is the moment two teenagers fist bump each other in an alleyway after stabbing an 18-year-old to death with a Rambo style knife in an unprovoked attack.

William Haines, 18, and a 17-year-old set upon Yusuf Mohamed outside a food shop in Shepherd's Bush, west London, on the evening of June 26 last year.

Haines was found guilty of murder and possessing a blade following an Old Bailey trial yesterday.

His co-accused was cleared of murder but had admitted the lesser offence of manslaughter and having a knife.

Haines and a 17-year-old, from Hounslow, were found guilty following a trial at the Old Bailey
Haines and a 17-year-old, from Hounslow, were found guilty following a trial at the Old Bailey. Picture: Metropolitan Police

The video footage shows the thugs running through an alley before they bump fists. Haines is wearing a black hoodie and the 17-year-old is wearing a white T-shirt.

The trial had heard how Mr Mohamed had been walking on Uxbridge Road with friends when he was targeted "for no obvious reason" by the defendants, who were both armed with large Rambo knives.

William Haines, 18, who was found guilty of, Yusuf Mohamed's murder
William Haines, 18, who was found guilty of, Yusuf Mohamed's murder. Picture: PA

Prosecutor Bill Emlyn Jones said: "Suddenly, and for no obvious reason, the two defendants crossed the road towards Yusuf and his friends.

"Yusuf Mohamed had no time to run away, he had no time to do anything to protect himself. Unlike his attackers, he was not carrying a weapon. He stood no chance."

Haines, who reached him first, acted with "brutal efficiency" as he swung his blade at the victim and stabbed him in his heart.

Yusuf Mohamed was killed in an unprovoked attack
Yusuf Mohamed was killed in an unprovoked attack. Picture: PA

The prosecutor told jurors: "Seeing Yusuf collapse to the floor, and as Yusuf desperately tried to retreat, crawling backwards on his elbows, (the 17-year-old) took out his own knife and followed him, stabbing him in the leg as he lay defenceless.

"As the two young men ran away, tucking their knives back out of sight, they gave each other a fist bump as if to say, 'Well done us'."

Mr Mohamed died later the same night despite the efforts of medics.

Jurors were shown "distressing" CCTV footage of the attack on Mr Mohamed outside the Intercontinental Foods shop.

They were also shown images of his killers giving each other a fist bump afterwards.

Haines, of Acton, west London, had accepted being the person in the CCTV footage but claimed he could not remember the incident in the footage, having had a drink.

Following the verdicts, the defendants were remanded into custody to be sentenced on February 24.