Latest news with #KamaniSpooner
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Yahoo
Teen detained over Carnival zombie knife attack
A teenager has been sentenced to 18 years detention after carrying out a "brutal" zombie knife attack at the Notting Hill Carnival last year. Rumarni Tuitt, 19, from Walthamstow, north-east London, stabbed 18-year-old Kamani Spooner with the 12in (30cm)-long weapon on the evening of 26 August 2024. After a two week trial at the Old Bailey he was found guilty of attempted murder, having earlier pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article. Sentencing him, Judge Judy Khan KC said it was a "brutal and wholly unjustifiable attack" and that there could be no justification for carrying a knife of that nature on to crowded streets, still less to Carnival. Judge Khan said it was not the first time Tuitt had travelled to the event armed with a "fearsome weapon", and on this occasion had used it to "devastating effect". "This was a particularly serious offence committed in the heart of Europe's biggest street festival," she said. The judge quoted a police statement saying that every knife-related crime had a significant impact on the victim and created "widespread fear and anxiety within the community". Warning: This article features distressing details The trial heard that Tuitt sliced open the victim's stomach with the zombie knife and that four of the five stab injuries he inflicted were life-threatening. There was no evidence to suggest that the victim and the defendant knew each other, the prosecution said. The attack had occurred in daylight on a summer's evening in Canal Way, off Ladbroke Grove, and was witnessed by a police officer who had noticed the defendant appearing agitated and having an argument with another man. The officer then saw the defendant reach into his waistband and "plunge his knife towards a group of people". Tuitt ran off and tried to dispose of the weapon by throwing it on the ground, but it was recovered by police. After spending a month in hospital the victim was able to make a statement to police. Mr Spooner said that he remembered towards the end of Carnival he had seen people around him fighting and throwing punches, before he was hit in the back. He then looked down to see that his intestines were hanging out and had to put his hand over them and run away. 'Harm and distress' At the sentence hearing, prosecutor Mark Paltenghi said the defendant had also been arrested for possession of a knife at Notting Hill Carnival in 2023. On that occasion Tuitt had become involved in an argument with a member of the public who was walking his dog and had produced a large Rambo knife and "swung it back and forth", but had been detained by police officers. He was convicted for that offence in June last year and given a community order which was still in place when the attempted murder occurred, the court heard. In mitigation Tuitt's barrister, Sheryl Nwosu, said the defendant was "genuinely sorry for the hurt, the harm and the distress he has caused". The defendant had been attending Carnival with relatives and friends and had the knife "defensively", she said. Tuitt, of Sutherland Road, Walthamstow, was given a concurrent sentence of one year for possession of a bladed article. Listen to the best of BBC Radio London on Sounds and follow BBC London on Facebook, X and Instagram. Send your story ideas to More on this story Teenager guilty of zombie knife attack at carnival Related internet links HM Courts & Tribunals Service
BBC News
01-08-2025
- BBC News
Teenager jailed over Notting Hill Carnival zombie knife attack
A teenager has been sentenced to 18 years detention after carrying out a "brutal" zombie knife attack at the Notting Hill Carnival last Tuitt, 19, from Walthamstow, north-east London, stabbed 18-year-old Kamani Spooner with the 12in (30cm)-long weapon on the evening of 26 August a two week trial at the Old Bailey he was found guilty of attempted murder, having earlier pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed him, Judge Judy Khan KC said it was a "brutal and wholly unjustifiable attack" and that there could be no justification for carrying a knife of that nature on to crowded streets, still less to Carnival. Judge Khan said it was not the first time Tuitt had travelled to the event armed with a "fearsome weapon", and on this occasion had used it to "devastating effect"."This was a particularly serious offence committed in the heart of Europe's biggest street festival," she judge quoted a police statement saying that every knife-related crime had a significant impact on the victim and created "widespread fear and anxiety within the community". Warning: This article features distressing details The trial heard that Tuitt sliced open the victim's stomach with the zombie knife and that four of the five stab injuries he inflicted were was no evidence to suggest that the victim and the defendant knew each other, the prosecution attack had occurred in daylight on a summer's evening in Canal Way, off Ladbroke Grove, and was witnessed by a police officer who had noticed the defendant appearing agitated and having an argument with another officer then saw the defendant reach into his waistband and "plunge his knife towards a group of people".Tuitt ran off and tried to dispose of the weapon by throwing it on the ground, but it was recovered by spending a month in hospital the victim was able to make a statement to Spooner said that he remembered towards the end of Carnival he had seen people around him fighting and throwing punches, before he was hit in the then looked down to see that his intestines were hanging out and had to put his hand over them and run away. 'Harm and distress' At the sentence hearing, prosecutor Mark Paltenghi said the defendant had also been arrested for possession of a knife at Notting Hill Carnival in that occasion Tuitt had become involved in an argument with a member of the public who was walking his dog and had produced a large Rambo knife and "swung it back and forth", but had been detained by police was convicted for that offence in June last year and given a community order which was still in place when the attempted murder occurred, the court mitigation Tuitt's barrister, Sheryl Nwosu, said the defendant was "genuinely sorry for the hurt, the harm and the distress he has caused".The defendant had been attending Carnival with relatives and friends and had the knife "defensively", she of Sutherland Road, Walthamstow, was given a concurrent sentence of one year for possession of a bladed article.
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Yahoo
Notting Hill Carnival zombie knife attacker jailed for 18 years
A zombie knife-wielding teenager who slashed a man at Notting Hill Carnival has been jailed for 18 years. Rumarni Tuitt, 19, used a 12-inch knife to slice open the stomach of 18-year-old Kamani Spooner on August 26 last year. Tuitt was caught carrying a Rambo knife which he swung out at Notting Hill Carnival the year before, although no-one was injured, the Old Bailey heard. He was serving a community order for that offence when he attacked Mr Spooner in front of a crowd of revellers. The defendant, from Walthamstow, east London, was found guilty of attempted murder having admitted possession of a knife. Jailing him for 18 years on Friday, Judge Judy Khan KC said: 'It is not the first time you have travelled to the carnival armed with a fearsome weapon. 'On this occasion, you used it to devastating effect. It is fortunate Mr Spooner escaped with his life. 'There can be no excuse for committing an offence of this gravity.' The attack was in front of a 'substantial number' of people and lunging out with a knife in a crowded public place put others at risk of being injured, she said. Previously, prosecutor Mark Paltenghi had said the two young men did not know each other before their paths crossed in Canal Way, west London, just before 8pm. During the attack, Tuitt had 'sliced open Mr Spooner's stomach with a 12-inch zombie knife' and then stabbed him four more times in the side and back and cut his right forearm. Mr Spooner told police he spent much of the day at the carnival drinking with his friends. Towards the end of the day, a fight broke out around him with three people close by throwing punches, according to his account. Mr Paltenghi had said: '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.' Tuitt claimed that he was acting in self defence and jurors were told there was no evidence he harboured a grievance against Mr Spooner. In mitigation, Sheryl Nwosu said the defendant's young age, immaturity and neurodivergeance had affected his actions. He had displayed 'impulsive and reckless' decision making by choosing to attend Notting Hill Carnival armed with a weapon out of a 'perceived need for self protection', Ms Nwosu said. As Tuitt was being sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, a woman in the public gallery broke down in tears.
Daily Mail
08-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Thug who sliced open a stranger's stomach with a 10-inch zombie knife at Notting Hill Carnival is found guilty of attempted murder
A thug who attacked a stranger with a 10-inch 'zombie knife' at Notting Hill Carnival, leaving his intestines 'hanging out', has been 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.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- BBC News
Teenager guilty of Notting Hill Carnival zombie knife attack
A teenager has been found guilty of attempted murder after "slicing open a boy's stomach with a zombie knife" at the Notting Hill carnival last Tuitt, 19, was convicted of stabbing 18-year-old Kamani Spooner with a 12-inch blade on the evening of 26 also inflicted four other stab injuries on Mr Spooner who was unarmed, the Old Bailey pair did not know each other and Tuitt was "not holding any particular grievance", the jury was told. Warning: This article features distressing detailsThe trial heard that after spending a month in hospital the victim was able to make a statement to said he remembered hearing shouting and realised "he was in the middle of it", before he notices people fighting - but could not recall what they looked Spooner remembered being hit in the back and saw that his arm had been cut."He then looked down and saw that his intestines were hanging out," said prosecution barrister Mark Paltenghi."He put his hand over them and just ran."The attack was witnessed by a police officer who had noticed the defendant appeared agitated and was having an argument with another officer then saw the defendant reach into his waistband and "plunge his knife towards a group of people".Tuitt ran off and tried to dispose of the knife by throwing it on the ground, but it was recovered by police. Four of the five stab injuries suffered by Mr Spooner were considered life-threatening, the court evidence, Tuitt claimed he was acting in self-defence and that he had been approached by a large group of people, one of who had produced a is due to be sentenced on 27 June.
