A plumber who killed a Deliveroo driver before going on the run for over a year has been convicted of murder.
Nathan Smith, 28, was assaulted and stabbed part-time delivery driver Takieddine Boudhane, 30, in the street on the night of January 3, 2020. fatally wounded.
Smith, of Archway, north London, used his brother's passport and bank card to flee the country just hours after the attack.
17 in Europe After months on the run, he was caught by police and today was convicted of murder. Smith is scheduled to be sentenced at the Old Bailey tomorrow.
A deadly confrontation ensues when Smith, driving a white Volkswagen van, and his moped rider Mr Boudin are driving in his park in Finsbury, north London. I heard that we argued before.
The chef, Mr. Boudhane, became upset after the two turned right and exchanged words, prosecutor Julian Evans QC told jurors. Both vehicles stopped and his CCTV played in court showed Mr Smith emerged from the van with a knife in his hand and ran towards him as Mr Boudhane got off his moped. showed the
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PA)Smith "launched an attack" and Mr. Budin fended him off using a crash helmet, he said. The court heard. Even when the case appeared to be over, Smith "wasn't ready to let things end there," Evans said, describing his CCTV footage of the
incident. , the prosecutor said: As Smith stepped onto the pavement, he ducked under a rocking helmet and swung his knife twice in rapid succession toward Takieddin's upper body.
"It is an indictment that one of two quick knife blows, each with great force, entered Takieddin's chest." Despite this, Mr. Boudhane ran off after Smith and hit the side of the van with his crash helmet as he drove off, the court heard. Mr Boudhane then fell to the ground and died at 7:42 pm despite the efforts of medical workers on the scene.
The court heard Smith drove home after carrying out the attack and said nothing to his family about what had happened. , took a flight from Luton Airport to Austria.
When police searched him at his parents' address, the defendant's father showed them a video believed to be from his son featuring views of the lake and mountains. Recovered the van and found blood stains matching his DNA on the victim.
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PA)In February 2020, an arrest warrant was issued for Smith and he was placed on Europol's list of most wanted fugitives. He was in Portugal and charged with murder, he returned to London on 3 June 2021.
During the trial, Smith claimed he acted "defensively" after the victim handed over the driver. He told the jury: "From the beginning I was going to scare him. The only thing that scared him was that I brandished a knife at him.
''He swung for me and I turned back. i wasn't angry I was horrified at this point.
Despite Smith's allegations, the jury found the plumber guilty of murder after three hours of deliberation on him.
Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who led the investigation, said: "Although Smith thought he could escape the murder if he left Britain, he never gave up his efforts to find him, using all the resources at Metropolitan Airlines' disposal.
This incident once again shows the danger weapons pose on our streets, and the devastation it has caused should make anyone thinking about carrying a knife think again. In two families.
Judge Mark Leucraft QC held Smith in custody pending sentencing on Thursday, August 25.
