A teenager has been found guilty of the murder of a 15-year-old boy after he fatally stabbed him in an attempt to steal his bicycle.
Joshua Williams has today, Thursday, 17 September, been found guilty of the murder of Alan Cartwright in Islington earlier this year.
Williams, 18 (17.12.96) of Davenant Road, N19, was convicted following a trial at the Old Bailey.
He was also found guilty of one count of conspiracy to rob.
Two others, Shaquille Roberts, 18 (08.08.96) of no fixed address and a 17-year old boy from Haringey, previously pleaded guilty to robbery.
They will be sentenced at the same court.
At 19:43hrs on Friday, 27 February, Alan Cartwright, a keen cyclist, was riding his bike with a group of friends.
Alan was at the head of the group in Caledonian Road, Islington, when Williams, Roberts and the 17-year-old boy, having decided to rob them of their bikes, stepped out into the road in front of them.
Roberts rushed into the path of a teenage girl, forcing her off her bike and the 17-year old grabbed the bike of a teenage boy, forcing him to the floor.
Williams, who was holding a knife in his left hand, stepped out in front of Alan and deliberately stabbed him in the upper chest with a swinging movement. He then jumped onto the back of the bike stolen by Roberts and left the area.
Alan managed to cycle a short distance up the Caledoinian Road, before collapsing. Despite efforts to save him, he was pronounced dead at the scene at 20:21hrs.
A murder investigation was launched by the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command (HMCC) who, as part of their enquiries, released CCTV showing the moment Alan and his friends were attacked.
In the early hours of Wednesday, 4 March, Williams handed himself into Islington police station where he was arrested. He made an unsolicited comment to the arresting officer, saying “It’s the right thing to do isn’t it?”
As a result of enquiries carried out by homicide detectives Roberts was arrested at his home address later that day. The 17-year old boy was arrested at an address in Hampshire on 10 July and brought to London.
Detective Chief Inspector Chris Jones, who led the investigation for the HMCC, said: “In court Alan’s murder was described as ‘utterly senseless’ and this sentiment was echoed by everyone who watched the CCTV of the incident, including myself and my team.
“The entire incident from start to finish lasted no more than seven seconds, but the ramification for Alan and his devastated family will last a lifetime.
“Alan was just 15-years-old and was simply riding his bike, with his friends, near his home where he felt safe.
“He was not in the ‘wrong place at the wrong time’, but that evening he crossed paths with Williams, who for reasons unbeknown to anyone other than himself, was armed with a knife and clearly thought nothing of using it.
“Today, I am pleased the jury rejected Williams’ claims that he was not the person who stabbed Alan and was elsewhere when the stabbing took place.
“He now faces a life sentence and will have many years to fully appreciate the devastation he caused when he made the decision to carry and use a knife.”