Thug who sliced open a stranger's stomach with a 10-inch zombie knife at Notting Hill Carnival is found guilty of attempted murder
Kamani Spooner, then aged 18, was stabbed by Rumarni Tuitt, 19, with the giant blade on August 26 last year in Canal Way, west London, just before 8pm.
In a witness statement for the police, Mr Spooner said he spent much of the day drinking with his friends and enjoying the carnival before the horrific assault unfolded.
'Towards the end of the day of carnival, he [Mr Spooner] could hear shouting coming from somewhere and he realised he was somehow in the middle of it,' prosecutor Mark Paltenghi told jurors.
'He then saw people fighting around him - three of them were quite close, they were throwing punches.
'He then recalls being hit in the back and upon looking at his arm, saw it had been cut, then looked down and saw that his intestines were hanging out. He put his hand over them and just ran.
'He cannot cast any light on why it was he would have been attacked.'
Mr Tuitt, from Walthamstow, east London, also stabbed Mr Spooner four more times to the side and the back and caused a laceration to his right forearm.
Officers arrested Mr Tuitt immediately after the attack and were able to provide vital medical treatment to his victim until paramedics could reach them.
Despite having his stomach sliced open, Mr Spooner miraculously survived his injuries thanks to life saving surgery.
The zombie-style knife used, described by police as 'at least 10 inches in length', was recovered from the scene.
'Zombie-style' is the street name given to weapons which are over 8 inches in length and often have a serrated edge, spikes or more than 2 sharp points.
On September 24, 2024 zombie-style knives and machetes were added to the list of prohibited weapons in the Criminal Justice Act 1988 as part of a government crackdown aiming to halve knife crime in a decade.
Jurors found Mr Tuitt guilty of attempted murder on Thursday May 8 after a trial at the Old Bailey.
The court previously heard that he and Mr Spooner did not know each other.
Mr Tuitt said that he was acting in self defence, the prosecutor said, but the jury rejected his claim.
There was also no evidence that Mr Tuitt harboured any particular grievance against Mr Spooner, the court heard.
Tuitt will be sentenced on June 27 for attempted murder and for possessing a knife, a charge he earlier admitted.
Acting Detective Inspector Sophie McLoughlin, who led the investigation, said: 'This was a savage and senseless attack. The victim was very lucky to survive his injuries.
'Hundreds of thousands of people, including the victim in this case, go to Carnival to have a good time and enjoy the music and entertainment.
'Those who would choose to turn up armed with a 10 inch zombie knife clearly have no such intentions.
'It is thanks to the vigilance of officers on duty that day and the hard work of my team in the months since that we were able to build the case that saw Tuitt convicted at court.
'It is also thanks to officers' immediate medical intervention at the scene, as well as the specialist further care by paramedics, that we're talking about a conviction for attempted murder and not worse.
'I hope the victim can now move forward and begin to put this experience behind him.'
Last month a thug who brutally stabbed a mother to death in front of her young daughter - also with a zombie knife - at the Notting Hill Carnival the day before Mr Tuitt's attack on Mr Spooner was found guilty of her murder.
Innocent bystander Cher Maximen, 32, was stabbed to death with one of the illegal weapons when caught up in gang violence during the world-famous event which attracts crowds of 1million people across the August bank holiday in west London each year.
The killer Shakeil Thibou, 20, had been attempting to target a man called Adjei Isaac when the nightmare unfolded on August 25 last year.
Mr Isaac managed to dodge the enormous blade as Thibou repeatedly tried to knife him in the stomach.
But during the chaotic scenes, model Ms Maximen was knocked to the floor - and as she struggled to her feet, Thibou raised his knife and deliberately stabbed her in the groin.
Ms Maximen, who also worked as a clothing designer, died six days later from her injuries on August 31 - having been attacked in front of her three-year-old daughter.
Thibou claimed he was trying to defend himself from Mr Isaac and said he stabbed Ms Maximen by mistake but the jury convicted him of murder, attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to Mr Isaac and having an offensive weapon, namely a knife.
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The Independent
4 minutes ago
- The Independent
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Daily Mail
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
JD Vance visits posh Cotswolds farm shop Daylesford Organic as his huge security convoy annoys locals after sending countryside into lockdown
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As the Daily Mail reported last month, the tiny village of Charlbury - which is near Dean - is home to The Bull, named Britain's best pub in the National Pub of the Year at the National Pub and Bar Awards. Earlier this year, Charlbury was named as one of the best places to live in Oxfordshire, alongside the towns of Henley and Burford. Meanwhile, the wider Cotswolds have become the latest hot ticket with Americans seeking what they see as a traditional cosy English escape. Ellen DeGeneres, the US talk show host, is reportedly deliberately fleeing her home in the area ahead of Vance's arrival after leaving the US following Trump's election. Fashion journalist Plum Sykes told BBC Radio 4 last month of the cosy English haven: 'It's just so hot and so trendy and so fashionable. 'It's an incredibly beautiful area because it's being protected, almost like a national park that you can live in. 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The Independent
34 minutes ago
- The Independent
Two girls arrested after suspected arson attack destroys historic hotel
Two girls aged 13 and 14 have been arrested after a major fire gutted a historic former hotel. West Mercia Police said the teenagers had both been released on bail as part of its inquiry into damage caused to the Grade II-listed Raven Hotel in Droitwich Spa, Worcestershire. Hereford and Worcester Fire and Rescue Service said it responded swiftly to the fire at 4.45pm on Sunday, with the first fire engine arriving on scene within two minutes of the initial emergency call. The brigade said eight fire engines and multiple specialist vehicles were deployed to tackle the blaze, which did not lead to any casualties but 'totally destroyed' the building. In a statement issued on Monday, the West Mercia force said: 'Police attended a large fire at the Raven Hotel on St Andrews Street in Droitwich. 'It was believed the fire had been started deliberately but thankfully nobody has been injured. 'Two girls, 13 and 14, were arrested on suspicion of arson and have since been released on bail.' Officers remain at the scene, the force said, and are asking that the public stay away from the area at this time. Scaffolding was put up around the privately-owned building by Wychavon District Council after an incident in September 2024 where guttering and debris fell into the road. The incident also prompted an urgent inspection by the authority, which found that the condition of the disused structure, part of which dates back to the 16th century, posed risks to the public. Fire service Group Commander Simon Cusack said: 'This was a challenging incident, and I want to commend the professionalism and dedication of our firefighters and partner agencies. 'The rapid response and teamwork ensured that the fire was quickly contained and extinguished without injury. We appreciate the public's support and will continue to work with the local authority and business owner to secure the site.' The district council said it shared the community's upset and anger at the 'devastating' fire. The council said in a statement: 'We understand completely the strength of feeling and affection for this historic building and the significance it has for the town. 'Over the last six months we had been working hard to ensure that urgent works were carried out to protect the building in line with the court order we secured late last year. These works were due to finish this week and we will still invoice the owner for payment. 'We are working closely with the fire service and our building control officers were visiting the site this morning to review the building and advise of the next steps. 'We will issue a further statement very soon, once we have an update regarding the state and safety of the structure.'
