A man who murdered a Marks & Spencer shop assistant at random in a gang “ride out” has been jailed.
The court heard how the victim was in the “wrong place at the wrong time” when he was stabbed to death as he walked home from work on September 5 to the Grahame Park Estate.
A group of men got out of hired minicabs on a nearby road and spoke briefly to Anthony. He ran away and tried to make it home but tripped on a concrete bollard in an alleyway.
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.
The group stabbed him nine times, with a post-mortem showing injuries from blades of different types and sizes. It found the cause of death to be a stab wound to the neck.
They then fled the way they had arrived.
Around 11pm, Anthony’s body was found in the alleyway by his brother and his friends.
Police used forensic evidence to tie the suspects to the scene and the mini-cabs.
At a previous trial, three teenagers were convicted of murder for their roles in the fatal attack.
But the jury failed to reach a verdict for Medina, resulting in a retrial.
In an emotional victim impact statement, Anthony’s mother Foluke Adekola said: “I have had to sit and endure listening to detailed information surrounding your death, which is so painful.
“Knowing this was unprovoked and senseless over a postcode that does not belong to anyone, just breaks my heart more. I pray for you son, that your soul is at peace now.”
Met Detective Chief Inspector Neil John said: “Our thoughts are with Anthony’s family who have sat through a second trial listening to the harrowing events of that night two years ago.”
