A man who fatally stabbed a drug rival following a fight inside his own home has been found guilty of murder at the Old Bailey today, Monday 27 July.
Jaydee Dorsett 20,(Photo) (29.04.95) of Maryland Court, N22 was found guilty of murdering Isaiah Ekpaloba, 18, following what police believe was a dispute over drugs on 9 January.
The court heard how Ekpaloba and an associate, Lamont Roper, 18, had taken a minicab to Dorsett’s address in Wood Green with the intention of robbing him of drugs. Shortly after 16:00hrs, the pair forced entry into Dorsett’s address and proceeded to attack him – Dorsett sustained several stab injuries during this attack.
During the altercation Ekpaloba sustained injuries and he and Roper fled the scene and attempted to flee in the waiting minicab.
Dorsett pursued the pair and caught up with them as the cab attempted to pull out into the High Road, N22. CCTV showed Dorsett, armed with at least one knife, open the front passenger door and make stabbing motions towards Roper who was seated there. Dorsett then attempted to open the back passenger door where Ekpaloba was seated but only managed to open it partially. Again, he made a stabbing motion before the door was closed and the cab managed to pull away into the High Street.
The car took Ekpaloba to North Middlesex Hospital where he died at 16:46hrs that day.
A post-mortem examination on 10 January at Haringey Mortuary gave cause of death as a stab wound to the chest.
Police were called to the scene at around 16:15hrs and found Dorsett, covered in blood, inside his own flat. He was taken to the Royal London Hospital for treatment to his injuries and subsequently charged with the murder.
Inside the flat, officers recovered a number of knives – one which had the blade snapped off, indicating the ferociousness of the struggle.
Officers arrested Roper, 18 (10.05.97) of Wigan House, Warwick Grove, E5, on 14 January and he was subsequently charged with conspiracy to rob Jaydee Dorsett. He was tried alongside Dorsett and found guilty.
Dorsett was today found guilty of the murder of Isaiah Ekpaloba and guilty of attempted wounding of Lamont Roper.
Lamont Roper was today found guilty of conspiracy to rob Dorsett and of failing to disclose his mobile phone PIN to police.
Roper also pleaded guilty on the first day of the trial (8 July) to two separate robbery offences in Finsbury Park Train Station which took place on 10 April 2014. These offences did not involve Jaydee Dorsett.
Detective Chief Inspector Dave Whellams of the Homicide and Major Crime Command said:
“Whatever the circumstances of that day, Jaydee Dorsett did not need to pursue Isaiah Ekpaloba and Lamont Roper into the street. Dorsett chose to continue the violence by arming himself and attacking the pair as they attempted to flee the scene in a minicab.
“The events of that day show the destructive consequences carrying and using knives can have; one young man has been brutally murdered while another will spend a considerable amount of time in prison as a result of his actions.”
Dorsett and Roper will be sentenced at the Old Bailey at 10:00hrs on Tuesday 28 July
Victim Impact Statement by Isaiah’s mother, Grace Aloba
How does a person ever put into words what the impact of losing a child really is, let alone in the manner that Isaiah was taken away from me?
On the 9th January 2015 my eldest son, my baby, was taken away from me in the most horrific way. He was a loving, big hearted individual, who could light up a room with his big smile and cheeky personality.
His life was full of promise; he was a talented and well respected actor at the Chicken Shed theatre company and had appeared on TV and had toured schools talking about the dangers of knife crime with them.
He was a well liked boy who loved being the centre of attention and the best testament of his impact on people was that over 300 people attended his funeral.
I know he wasn’t perfect and I have had to listen in detail to all of the wrong choices that he made, including the ultimate one that lead to him losing his life. I didn’t raise him to be the boy that he has been portrayed in this trial and this was a side that he kept hidden from me and my family.
I am sorry on his behalf to all of the people that he has hurt in the past. I too have made some wrong choices in my life which meant that I was imprisoned abroad throughout Isaiah’s teenage years. I am not proud of my actions and I know that this separation had a profound effect on Isaiah as we had a very close relationship.
I know that Isaiah missed me terribly and me him. Throughout the time that we were separated I spoke and wrote to my children constantly. They were the thing that kept me going and I dreamed every night of seeing them again but I never dreamed that the next time I would see one of my children was in the morgue.
I am struggling to find the words to give justice to how I feel and how Isaiah’s death has affected me and my family. I don’t think that it has really sunk in yet and until this trial is done I don’t think that it will. I feel empty, alone, sad, tearful and angry. I haven’t eaten or slept properly since I was told of Isaiah’s death. I keep thinking about my baby in the car; scared, hurt, and dying without me or any of his family or friends around him.
The impact on my other two sons has been huge: My middle son, Kehmar, has been terribly affected; he was his big brother and he looked up to Isaiah as only little brothers can. He has become introverted and I am scared that his anger and grief is eating him up inside. He has refused to talk to anyone about Isaiah’s death and I am not sure how is going to cope.
My youngest son Zion was five when Isaiah was killed and is now six. Isaiah worshipped the ground that Zion walked on and vice-versa. They were as thick as thieves. Zion knows that Isaiah is in heaven but he doesn’t understand it. This has robbed him of his big brother.
This act has really devastated my family and it is something that we will never get over.
I want to add that I do not hate Mr Dorsett. I am a Christian woman and it says in the bible that we must forgive. I forgive Mr Dorsett for killing my son. All I want is to know the real truth of what happened that day and how my son died.
Isaiah’s death is such a waste. I want this to be an example to young men of the dangers of carrying a knife and to think twice as these incidents don’t just affect one family it affects many families. Life is worth more. I am proud to be Isaiah’s mum.