Fourth young man found guilty of M&S worker’s ‘ride out’ murder

A fourth young man has been found guilty of killing a Marks & Spencer shop assistant who was targeted at random in a gang “ride out”.

Anthony Adekola, 22, nicknamed Lizzy, was repeatedly stabbed as he walked home from work at the Colindale store in north-west London on the evening of September 5 2020.

On Wednesday, Christian Medina, 22, was found guilty of his murder following a retrial at the Old Bailey.

In a trial last year, three other young men, from Hendon, north-west London, were found guilty of the murder but the jury was discharged after failing to reach a verdict on Medina.

He broke down in tears as the verdict was delivered before walking free from the dock.

Medina was remanded into custody to be sentenced on Friday.

Mr Adekola was said to be in the “wrong place at the wrong time” as he chanced upon a group of young men who had travelled into the rival NW9 postcode area.

He was near his home on the Grahame Park Estate when two taxis pulled up and eight young men got out.

CCTV footage showed him turn and run after being stopped by the group.

He crashed into a stone bollard and fell to the ground in Martlesham Walk as the chasing pack closed in.

The group subjected Mr Adekola to a brutal attack, stabbing him at least nine times in the face, head, neck, back, chest, arms and leg.

The fatal stab wound to his neck severed the carotid artery and jugular vein.

The attackers then returned to the waiting taxis and made off.

Mr Adekola was found badly injured and bleeding by his brother and concerned friends who retraced his route.

Police arrived at 11.15pm and found him surrounded by people applying pressure to the neck wound.

Medics carried out emergency surgery at the scene but despite their efforts he was pronounced dead at 11.45pm.

The court was told the victim did not know his killers and he was selected at random in a “ride out” from a neighbouring postcode.