Three thugs who repeatedly stabbed a man and left him to die in a vicious attack over a police drugs search have been found guilty of attempted murder.
The 22-year-old victim would have died if the ambulance had arrived just seconds later at the Royal London Hospital, according to the surgeon who operated on him.
But he has been left crippled for life, unable to walk, following the attack along Cable Steet on June 1 last year.
Mohammed Habib Ali, 23, from Shadwell Gardens, Shadwell, Alomgir Shahriyar, also 23, from Compton Avenue, East Ham, and Shakeel Chowdhury, 22, from Jeremiah Road, Poplar, were convicted of attempted murder yesterday at the Old Bailey.
A fourth man, 19-year-old Sallah Ali from Bigland Street, Shadwell, was found guilty of GBH for his part in the attack which jurors heard had been a feud against the victim.
Sallah Ali had been stopped earlier by police and searched for drugs, when he claimed he had been “set up”.
He later phoned Shahriyar and Habib Ali and a train of events ended in the stabbing that day.
Then he called the victim, accusing him of being “a snitch” and asking to meet up in Cable Street, where the other three suddenly appeared.
The man was attacked by Shahriyar, Chowdhury and Habib Ali and stabbed several times before collapsing in the street.
Emergency services arrived, but the gang had fled in a minicab.
“This was a shocking attack in the middle of a busy street in broad daylight,” Det Cons Megan Bushell said.
“The victim would have died if he had arrived at hospital seconds later, according to the surgeon.
“He has injuries that will stay with him for life, leaving him no longer able to walk.”
But it didn’t end there. The man’s family got a phone call with Habib Ali admitting stabbing him and the others threatening them not to speak to police, the court was told.
All four were later arrested and three of them charged with attempted murder.
They are all being sentenced May 17.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here