Man guilty of murder after stabbing victim three times in Poplar park

A man has been convicted of murder after a brutal stabbing in broad daylight in Lansbury Estate park.

Yasin Omar Amare, 29, was found guilty of murdering Gleb Stanislavovitch Zhebrovsky (known as Gleb Stalnoy) following a re-trial at the Old Bailey on Monday, August 10.

The jury had failed to reach a verdict following the initial trial last year.

The court heard how Amare and Gleb were known to each other through an acquaintance but relations between the pair had seemingly become fraught in the days leading up to the murder.

On the morning of June 15, 2019, Gleb and a friend were relaxing having been to the barber’s when Amare sent him a text.

Gleb told his friend that he needed to go and see Amare with a view to resolving their issues.

Both men went to a flat in Ellesmere Street, Poplar where Amare was staying; they waited outside and spoke to Amare and another man through an open window of the flat. Amare told Gleb to meet him in nearby Lansbury Estate park.

Gleb and his friend went there and sat on the grass chatting; their demeanour giving the impression they were completely unaware of what was to come. A short time later, at around 2pm, Amare and the other man approached.

Without warning, Amare attacked Gleb with a knife, stabbing him three times in a matter of seconds.

He then turned and ran from the scene before returning to the flat. While Gleb lay dying on the floor, Amare took the DLR and then a train to Croydon in an attempt to evade capture.

Emergency services were called to the park but despite extensive efforts of paramedics, Gleb died at the scene at 2.37pm.

A murder investigation quickly identified Amare, of Pawleyne Close, Penge, as the prime suspect. Detectives traced Amare to a hotel in Thornton Heath, south London where he was hiding.

He was arrested and initially denied all knowledge of the incident. As he was questioned further about the events in the park, he then refused to answer any questions.

However, using witness accounts, CCTV and mobile phone analysis, detectives could conclusively prove Amare was at the scene and was responsible for Gleb’s murder.

Following the verdict, Det Insp Tom Williams of Specialist Crime, and said: “This was a brutal and clinical attack, carried out in broad daylight in a public place, that left Gleb with little chance of survival. The fact that witnesses report he was relaxed and chatting with his friend in the moments prior to the attack, only illustrates its explosive ferocity.

“The motive behind Amare’s decision to attack Gleb has not been conclusively established. However, what is undeniably clear is that Amare armed himself with the intention of attacking Gleb and causing him serious injury.

“I am pleased that Amare has been brought to justice and will now face a significant amount of time behind bars.”

A date for sentencing has not yet been.