Self-proclaimed ‘monster' beat top chef to death during Notting Hill Carnival
A self-proclaimed 'monster' beat a top chef to death during Notting Hill Carnival and left him dying in the street to go clubbing.
Omar Wilson, 32, repeatedly punched and kicked Mussie Imnetu during an altercation outside Dr Power restaurant in Queensway, west London, on Aug 26, last year.
Imnetu, 41, who had worked under chefs Gordon Ramsay and Marcus Wareing, died later in hospital.
During the trial at the Old Bailey, Wilson claimed he acted in self-defence, telling jurors: 'I just regret that somebody's life was taken while I was trying to defend mine.'
On Thursday, a jury deliberated for 22 hours and 34 minutes to find him guilty of murder by a majority of 10 to two.
The jury had been shown graphic CCTV footage of Wilson approaching Imnetu and headbutting him. About a minute later, Wilson punched Imnetu five times in the head, causing him to fall to the ground.
Wilson continued to repeatedly punch the chef while he was on his hands and knees, then kicked him in the head.
Prosecutor Jacob Hallam KC said: 'The defendant had, by that point, struck him to his head more than a dozen times. Mr Imnetu had struck the defendant not once.
'At the end of that altercation, Mr Imnetu was dying on the ground and the defendant left and went clubbing in the Ministry of Sound.'
As police moved to help Imnetu, Wilson walked away having dropped his sunglasses and keys at the scene.
Imnetu – who worked at The Arts Club, a private member's establishment – was taken to hospital and died four days later without regaining consciousness, jurors heard.
In the aftermath of the attack, Wilson told an associate he 'crossed the line'.
In a message, he admitted: 'There's a monster in me, man, and it's just like sometimes it comes out. And I think I've messed up now, I've messed up, everything's finished.'
Jurors heard that when asked how the carnival was going, he replied: 'Can't lie. I did the hands ting [sic] and I think it's a manslaughter.'
Following his arrest on August 28, Wilson told police he had struck the victim in 'self-defence'.
He claimed Imnetu was behaving erratically, harassing girls, and had a bottle.
On being shown CCTV of Imnetu being assaulted on the ground, Wilson said it 'seems excessive now' and watching it was 'f---ing disgusting'.
Giving evidence in his trial, Wilson claimed he hit Imnetu because he felt 'trapped' and 'scared' and believed that the chef was holding a smashed bottle, although that turned out not to be the case.
Asked what he would have done differently with the benefit of hindsight, Wilson said: 'The thing that always haunts me the most was the police were so close and I didn't know at the time.'
Wilson, from Leytonstone, east London, was remanded into custody and will be sentenced by Judge Philip Katz on Friday February 28.
Samantha Yelland, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: 'Our thoughts remain with Mussie Imnetu's devastated family and friends who loved him dearly, as well as those who had to witness the shocking attack that evening.
'Omar Wilson's savage violence ultimately took the life of a much-loved man, and the Crown Prosecution Service was determined that he should face justice.
'The evidence in this case was overwhelming, with high-quality CCTV footage showing Wilson attacking the victim.
'While Wilson tried to claim his actions were in self-defence, the evidence clearly showed that he was the only person acting violently.
'I hope today's verdict – which will see Wilson put behind bars for the murder – provides some comfort to those who now have to live a life without Mussie.'
Det Ch Insp Brian Howie, who led the investigation, said: 'Our thoughts very much remain with Mussie's family and friends in Dubai, Sweden and London, who had to relive the last traumatic moments of his life during the trial after Wilson refused to take responsibility for his actions.
'Mussie was a loving husband, father, son and a respected chef. He was in London for a few days to help train his colleagues and went out that evening to enjoy the post-Notting Hill Carnival atmosphere, where tragically he was violently assaulted.'
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