Two guilty of murdering man over e-bike dispute

The Old Bailey trial heard the dispute was over a stolen e-bike

Two men have been found guilty of a murder "in cold blood" after an argument over an electric bike in north-west London.

Following a trial at the Old Bailey, Abbas Jean-Pierre, 20, from Northolt, and Shakur Idan, 21, from Harrow, were convicted over the stabbing of Hamed Mani, 20, on 9 August in Harrow.

The court heard how Mr Mani and his friends were approached in St George's Shopping Centre, Harrow-on-the Hill, by Idan.

Prosecutor Caroline Carberry KC, said Idan had ridden his electric bike directly towards them and "almost immediately a tussle broke out between Idan and Hamed Mani, with others from Hamed's group joining in".

No-one was injured but Idan's electric bike was taken by one of Mr Mani's group, the trial heard, while another member of the group showed Idan he had a lockknife.

"Although Idan was alone at that stage he was not deterred from following the group of five as they ran away from him," said Ms Carberry.

"Idan did not call the police to ask for help in recovering his electric bike, and to report that he had been shown a knife.

"Instead he called reinforcements in the shape of his friend, the second defendant, Jean-Pierre."

Jean-Pierre arrived carrying a machete and a Rambo knife, the jury heard.

As Idan ran towards Mr Mani's group he called out to Jean-Pierre with the words "wet him up", which the court heard was street slang for stab.

'Outnumbered and outarmed'

"Idan knew his friend was armed and he was telling him that someone was to be attacked," the prosecutor said.

While the rest of his group dispersed, Hamed ran into a small open garage and was cornered by Jean-Pierre who began his attack.

Although he had armed himself with a knife, Mr Mani was "outnumbered and outarmed" and tried to escape, the court heard.

"He ended up on the pavement and there, while he was on the ground, completely vulnerable, Jean-Pierre plunged one of the large knives into him multiple times," Ms Carberry said.

Mr Mani was murdered "in cold blood" by two young men who had "no qualms about settling a score with the lethal blade of a knife," she said.

The defendants, who claimed they had acted in self-defence, are due to be sentenced on 19 July.