Latest news with #CarronThomas
Daily Mail
18-07-2025
- Daily Mail
Fugitive caught at Notting Hill Carnival a month after murdering his ex-girlfriend's bus driver father in 'merciless' knife attack is jailed for 29 years
A fugitive caught at Notting Hill Carnival a month after murdering his ex-girlfriend's father during a 'frenzied' knife attack has been jailed for life. Kamar Williams repeatedly stabbed bus driver bus Derek Thomas, 55, in Hackney, north-east London, last July 30. After the bloody attack, Williams, from the Isle of Dogs, east London, went on the run for a month, the court heard. He was finally detained at Notting Hill Carnival last August 26, having avoided police in a car chase last August 3. 'Merciless' Williams was today sentenced to life imprisonment and will serve a minimum of 29 years behind bars. Jailing him, Judge Angela Rafferty KC told Williams he had targeted Mr Thomas for 'revenge because of your own fury', adding the attack involved 'savage violence'. Giving her sentencing remarks, Judge Rafferty said: 'I am sure that you intended to kill Derek Thomas. This was a merciless and determined attack. 'You killed him even though at one time you saw him as a father figure. 'You knew how important he was to his wife and his children as you had lived alongside them for two years.' Judge Rafferty added: 'On July 30 last year, you were simmering with rage throughout the evening having been arguing with your ex-partner Carron Thomas and her family. 'I am sure that in your frustration and anger, you planned to have a violent confrontation with one of the Thomas family that night. 'Mr Thomas died there on the street minutes from his home with the shopping he had bought strewn around him.' Jurors had been told the defendant had been looking for the victim's daughter Carron Thomas on the night of the murder. The jury heard that Ms Thomas had called police twice in the hours before her father was attacked. Just before 7pm, she reported to police that Williams was at her sister's address, but when police arrived he was not there. Then just after 10.30pm, she called police again, while she was at her sister's house, believing she could see Williams walking through the estate. Williams went to Mr Thomas's home looking for him or his daughter, but they were not in. As he was driving away, he spotted Mr Thomas walking home on Stoke Newington Common at around 11pm. Mr Thomas, who had been married for 35 years, had finished a late shift as a bus driver and gone into Tesco for some food before heading home. Williams stopped the van he was driving in the middle of the road, got out and stabbed the grandfather five times. Ms Thomas said her father was a 'kind, gentle and loving man' who 'did not deserve to have his life taken in such a senseless way'. In a victim impact statement that was read to the court, Ms Thomas said: 'What makes this loss even more painful is that the person responsible is someone I shared a relationship with. 'My family is broken. We are trying to carry on, but we do so with heavy hearts, we feel our father's absence in every moment.' Mr Thomas's sister, Blondelle Thomas, said her brother was a 'dedicated bus driver' with Go Ahead London and had been a 'prolific footballer who retired early due to injury'. Reading her victim impact statement at the sentencing, Ms Thomas added: 'My brother Derek Thomas was cruelly and brutally ripped away from me and all who loved and cared about him on July 30 2024. 'I cannot hold my brother, I'll never hear his words 'I love you sister' again. 'I'm truly grateful to have had Derek's love and trust in my life.' Earlier this month, a jury at the Old Bailey found Williams unanimously guilty of murder and guilty of having a bladed article. News of his sentencing came after the Mail exclusively revealed police would be using facial recognition to scan revellers attending this year's Notting Hill Carnival. Visitors to Europe's biggest street party will be scanned for wanted knife offenders, rapists, robbers and those suspected of serious violent crimes. Scotland Yard wants to prevent a repeat of the bloodshed of recent years. Festivities last year saw eight stabbings. One resulted in a murder and a second man was beaten and kicked to death. Senior officers believe it will make 'Carnival' - behind only Rio de Janeiro's celebration in terms of size - safer, but the plan has proved controversial with organisers and has raised civil liberty concerns. Police will use mobile live facial recognition, or LFR, cameras around the perimeter of the three-mile parade route as part of a beefed-up security operation involving 7,000 officers every day over the Bank Holiday weekend from August 23-25. There will also be knife arches and prevention orders to keep known thugs away.
Sky News
18-07-2025
- Sky News
Kamar Williams: Fugitive caught at Notting Hill Carnival sentenced for murdering ex-girlfriend's father
A fugitive caught at Notting Hill Carnival after murdering his ex-girlfriend's father has been sentenced to a minimum 29 years in prison. Kamar Williams stabbed bus driver Derek Thomas, 55, in Hackney, northeast London, on 30 July last year. He escaped from police on foot after crashing a BMW a few days later, but was captured at the carnival on 26 August. Williams, from the Isle of Dogs, in east London, was last week found guilty of murder after an Old Bailey trial and was sentenced today. Anthony Orchard KC told the court Williams was looking for the victim's daughter, Carron Thomas, on the night of the murder. Ms Thomas had received threatening and abusive text messages from Williams and called police twice in the hours before her father was attacked. Williams, who had earlier gone to Ms Thomas's sister's address, went to her father's home looking for him or his daughter, but they weren't in. As he was driving away, he spotted Mr Thomas walking on Stoke Newington Common at around 11pm. He had finished a bus driving shift and had gone to Tesco for some food before heading home. Williams stopped his van, got out and stabbed Mr Thomas five times, leaving the contents of the shopping bag strewn over the pavement and road. Mr Orchard said: "Having stabbed Mr Thomas, the defendant left him for dead and went on the run, only being arrested a month later at the carnival." Williams claimed he acted in self-defence after the victim produced a knife. He told the court he had wanted to talk Mr Thomas about his relationship with his daughter and that he took the knife from him and stabbed him with it. Following the guilty verdicts, Mr Thomas' family said: "Derek will be greatly missed by his family and friends, he was a dedicated family man and worked hard to provide for them. He was the life and soul of the family. "Derek was always on hand to provide support, knowledge, advice and was a calming influence when it was required. "His passing has left a massive hole in the lives of his wife, children, grandchildren, family and all that knew him. He was greatly loved by all and will never be forgotten."
BBC News
18-07-2025
- BBC News
'Merciless' killer jailed for murdering ex-partner's father
Derek Thomas would have turned 56 this week. But instead of a celebration, his family held a small gathering in his much-loved grandfather and bus driver was murdered last had been walking home from his late shift in Stoke Newington, north-east London, when he was repeatedly killer was Kamar Williams, the ex-boyfriend of Mr Thomas's daughter 34, has now been jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years. In sentencing, Judge Angela Rafferty KC said Williams, who had 13 previous convictions, had been "simmering with rage" after arguing with his ex partner and Mr Thomas had been unarmed and completely told him: "You alone are responsible for this killing. This was a merciless and determined attack."You killed him even though at one time you saw him as a father figure."You knew that targeting him would hurt them all. " In a victim impact statement, Carron said she lived every day with "overwhelming guilt"."I once loved and trusted this person. I welcomed him into my life and my family's home, never imagining he would do something so heartless and cruel."Mr Thomas's sister read out her victim impact statement, which said her brother had been "cruelly and brutally ripped away"."I will never hear his words, 'I love you, sis,' again."The judge told her she had "done her brother proud." Ms Thomas described her brother as "a kind-hearted, dedicated, committed family man. He took his role as a parent absolutely seriously."She said she'd been very close to Derek, who was the youngest of 19 siblings, an avid Arsenal fan who loved his job as a bus driver for Go-Ahead London."He loved serving people, working with the elderly, disabled people, women getting on the bus with buggies. He was so committed, even during Covid."She said a number of his colleagues had also paid tribute to him on Wednesday, marking what would have been his birthday. The Old Bailey heard that on the evening of 30 July, Carron had received threatening and abusive texts from Williams, one of which warned her to "watch this space." She called police twice before her father was attacked, but when officers went to look for him Williams had had gone on the run after the attack, before being caught at Notting Hill Carnival where he was arrested after crashing a hired BMW and attempting to flee on from the Isle of Dogs in east London, claimed he had acted in self-defence after Mr Thomas produced a jury did not believe him and unanimously found him guilty of murder, and guilty of having a bladed article by an 11-to-one majority. 'Manipulative and cruel' "He spouted a pack of lies," Ms Thomas was "quite manipulative, and sometimes very cruel to my niece"."My whole family are angry with him. We've had the court case, but we haven't really had any answers. "It leaves me with a bitter taste in my mouth that my brother's life was taken, and what for?"She said she has not been able to sleep properly since her brother's death. "I sometimes have nightmares, wondering what it would have been like if I was there? Could I have prevented it from happening?" The Thomas family hope Derek would be remembered for his community spirit, and how, even after ill health had prevented him from playing football, he had continued to coach young people in Stoke Newington. "I think society has gone downhill," Ms Thomas said. "They're not being the village that should raise a child, instead people are left to their own devices. But there are people, like my brother, like myself, who take an interest in younger lives, who want the best for them."If we could do it as a brother and sister, we could do it as a community."He was a special person, I miss him immensely. "Life will never be the same."
The Independent
07-07-2025
- The Independent
Notting Hill Carnival fugitive found guilty of bus driver's stab murder
A fugitive has been found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend's father after being caught at Notting Hill Carnival. Kamar Williams, 34, stabbed Derek Thomas, 55, in Hackney, north-east London, last July 30. After the 'frenzied' attack, Williams, from the Isle of Dogs, east London, went on the run. He was finally detained after crashing a hired BMW and fleeing on foot, with police in pursuit. On Monday, a jury at the Old Bailey found Williams unanimously guilty of murder and guilty of having a bladed article by a majority of 11 to one. There were cries of 'yes' from the public gallery as the jury delivered the verdicts after deliberating for 17 hours and 48 minutes. Judge Angela Rafferty KC adjourned sentencing until Friday July 18 and remanded Williams into custody. Anthony Orchard KC had told jurors the defendant had been looking for the victim's daughter Carron Thomas on the night of the murder. Earlier that evening, she had received threatening and abusive text messages from the defendant, the court was told. The jury heard that Ms Thomas had called police twice in the hours before her father was attacked. Just before 7pm, she reported to police that Williams was at her sister's address, but when police arrived he was not there. Just after 10.30pm, she called police again, while she was at her sister's house, believing she could see Williams walking through the estate. Williams went to Mr Thomas's home looking for him or his daughter, but they were not in. As he was driving away, he spotted Mr Thomas walking home on Stoke Newington Common at around 11pm. Mr Thomas had finished a late shift as a bus driver and had gone into Tesco for some food before heading home. Williams stopped the van he was driving in the middle of the road, got out and stabbed Mr Thomas five times. The contents of Mr Thomas's shopping bag were strewn over the pavement and road. Mr Orchard said: 'Mr Thomas may well have swung a punch at the defendant but if he did, you can be sure he was acting in a desperate attempt to defend himself. 'There can be no doubt that the attacker was this knife-wielding defendant. 'Mr Thomas was struck by the knife on five occasions in different places in what was, you may think, a frenzied attack. 'If you were walking home across the common minding your own business and someone ran at you with a large knife you would have been terrified – clearly so was Mr Thomas. 'Having stabbed Mr Thomas, the defendant left him for dead and went on the run, only being arrested a month later at the carnival.' Giving evidence, Williams claimed he acted in self-defence after the victim produced a knife. He claimed he had been looking to talk to the bus driver about his relationship with his daughter. He told jurors he took the knife from Mr Thomas and stabbed him with it. Following the guilty verdicts, Detective Inspector John Marriott, of Scotland Yard, said: 'This was a brutal and premeditated attack on a much-loved father. 'Kamar Williams showed clear intent that night, driving to Derek's home, waiting for the right moment, and carrying out this senseless act of violence. 'The swift response from our officers, combined with extensive CCTV, forensic work, and determination from our investigation team, led to his arrest and conviction. 'Our thoughts remain with Derek's family, who have shown immense strength throughout this ordeal.' Mr Thomas's family said in a statement: 'Derek will be greatly missed by his family and friends, he was a dedicated family man and worked hard to provide for them. He was the life and soul of the family. 'Derek was always on hand to provide support, knowledge, advice and was a calming influence when it was required. His passing has left a massive hole in the lives of his wife, children, grandchildren, family and all that knew him. He was greatly loved by all and will never be forgotten.'
BBC News
07-07-2025
- BBC News
Bus driver stabbing: Kamar Williams guilty of murder
A man has been found guilty of murdering his ex-girlfriend's father in a "frenzied" knife Williams, 34, stabbed bus driver Derek Thomas, 55, as the older man was walking home from work in Stoke Newington, north-east London, last Old Bailey heard that Williams had been out looking for Mr Thomas's daughter Carron but, after failing to find her, spotted the bus driver and got out of his van to launch the fatal defendant, from the Isle of Dogs in east London, went on the run before being caught at Notting Hill Carnival. He was detained after crashing a hired BMW and fleeing on foot, with police in pursuit. Anthony Orchard KC, prosecuting, had told jurors that on the evening of the killing, 30 July, Ms Thomas received threatening and abusive texts from called police twice before her father was attacked, the court went to Mr Thomas's home looking for him or his daughter, but they were not in. Self-defence claim As he drove off in his van, he spotted Mr Thomas walking home near Stoke Newington Common at about 23:00 stopped in the middle of the road, got out and stabbed Mr Orchard said: "Mr Thomas was struck by the knife on five occasions in different places in what was, you may think, a frenzied attack."Giving evidence, Williams claimed he had acted in self-defence after the victim produced a told jurors he took the weapon from Mr Thomas and stabbed him with it. Williams claimed he had only wanted to talk to the bus driver about Ms Thomas. The jury unanimously found Williams guilty of murder and guilty of having a bladed article by an 11-to-one verdicts were delivered after deliberations of nearly 18 Angela Rafferty KC adjourned sentencing until Friday 18 July.
