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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/oct/13/man-abraham-omotoso-jailed-fatally-stabbing-father-busy-high-street-london
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| Man jailed for fatally stabbing father on busy high street in London | Man jailed for fatally stabbing father on busy high street in London |
| (12 days later) | |
| An insurance worker who stabbed a father to death on a busy high street while his seven-year-old daughter was buying sweets has been jailed for 18 years. | An insurance worker who stabbed a father to death on a busy high street while his seven-year-old daughter was buying sweets has been jailed for 18 years. |
| Abraham Omotoso, 27, knifed Mohamed Al-Zufairi outside a Poundland store on Wealdstone high street, north-west London, after “bad blood” between their families. | Abraham Omotoso, 27, knifed Mohamed Al-Zufairi outside a Poundland store on Wealdstone high street, north-west London, after “bad blood” between their families. |
| The father of two, 34, suffered a stab wound to the heart during the attack on 27 February and died in hospital a day later. | The father of two, 34, suffered a stab wound to the heart during the attack on 27 February and died in hospital a day later. |
| Omotoso bought a one-way flight to Lagos in Nigeria the next day, but was arrested at Gatwick after airline staff became suspicious that he was a lone traveller with only hand luggage. | Omotoso bought a one-way flight to Lagos in Nigeria the next day, but was arrested at Gatwick after airline staff became suspicious that he was a lone traveller with only hand luggage. |
| He was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday for manslaughter, after being cleared of a count of murder following a trial. | He was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday for manslaughter, after being cleared of a count of murder following a trial. |
| Judge Nicholas Cooke said: “This was an example of a knife fatality taking place in a busy high street. Members of the public saw the aftermath and parts of the incident – it will probably live with them forever. The streets need to be made safe. | Judge Nicholas Cooke said: “This was an example of a knife fatality taking place in a busy high street. Members of the public saw the aftermath and parts of the incident – it will probably live with them forever. The streets need to be made safe. |
| “There is a harrowing further aggravating feature in this case and it is this – although not physically present, the victim had shortly before been with his seven- or eight-year-old daughter.” | “There is a harrowing further aggravating feature in this case and it is this – although not physically present, the victim had shortly before been with his seven- or eight-year-old daughter.” |
| He added: “There is another young child, who will not remember his father.” | He added: “There is another young child, who will not remember his father.” |
| Cooke also thanked airport staff for their quick thinking in thwarting Omotoso’s attempt to flee the country. | Cooke also thanked airport staff for their quick thinking in thwarting Omotoso’s attempt to flee the country. |
| Omotoso, from Wealdstone, initially claimed he had nothing to do with the attack and later said he was acting in self-defence. He was described as an intelligent and hardworking young man who had been employed in the insurance industry. | Omotoso, from Wealdstone, initially claimed he had nothing to do with the attack and later said he was acting in self-defence. He was described as an intelligent and hardworking young man who had been employed in the insurance industry. |
| In a statement, the victim’s brother Jafar said: “Mohamed was a family man. His family came first. | In a statement, the victim’s brother Jafar said: “Mohamed was a family man. His family came first. |
| “I think it has hit his daughter the hardest. She did not see her dad being stabbed, but was with him. She walked to the local shops to get some sweets with her dad and returned home without him.” | “I think it has hit his daughter the hardest. She did not see her dad being stabbed, but was with him. She walked to the local shops to get some sweets with her dad and returned home without him.” |