A man who fatally stabbed a mother with a zombie knife in front of her young daughter at Notting Hill Carnival has been convicted of murder.
Shakeil Thibou, 20, was found guilty at the Old Bailey on Wednesday of murdering 32-year-old Cher Maximen, who was enjoying the family day of the annual west London celebration with her three-year-old child. Ms Maximen was attacked during a chaotic disturbance near Golborne Road, beneath the Trellick Tower in North Kensington, on 25 August last year.
In a moment of senseless violence, Thibou used what prosecutors described as a “shocking” and “huge” knife to stab Ms Maximen in the groin. She was rushed to hospital but tragically died from her injuries several days later. Her toddler daughter was just feet away when the horror unfolded.
Thibou was also convicted of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to 20-year-old Adjei Isaac, moments before the fatal stabbing. He had been seen lunging at Mr Isaac with the same weapon. Fortunately, Mr Isaac managed to narrowly avoid being seriously injured.
Thibou’s older brother, Sheldon, 25, was found guilty of violent disorder and assaulting a police constable, PC Oliver Mort, who bravely intervened during the melee. Another brother, Shaeim Thibou, 22, was cleared of violent disorder but convicted of assaulting the same officer.
Shakeil Thibou is now facing a mandatory life sentence when he returns to court on 16 May. As the verdicts were read out, members of Ms Maximen’s family cried out “yes” in emotional relief after a jury deliberated for over 50 hours.
Prosecutor Ed Brown KC told the court the attack took place just before 6pm during a flare-up in the crowd. “Cher Maximen was killed and the knife, the weapon used to kill her, was wielded by the first defendant, Shakeil Thibou,” he said.
He added, “She had a daughter aged three, who was very close by when her mother was attacked and killed. Cher suffered a terrible injury from which she died. The knife – you’ll see it on camera footage – is a shocking weapon to have, let alone to use, but use it the defendant did, and with devastating consequences.”
The court was shown footage of Thibou moments earlier attempting to stab Mr Isaac, who was retreating in fear. “He was lucky,” said Mr Brown. “He may not have realised, or still realises, just how close he came to death.”
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Ms Maximen, a fashion designer and model, had no connection to the Thibous and was simply caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. During the melee, she was knocked to the ground but stood back up and appeared to raise a leg towards Thibou in defence. He then drove the knife into her groin in a deliberate and deadly act.
PC Mort had tried to intervene in the growing violence, but was attacked by Sheldon and Shaeim, one of whom wielded a stun gun as the crowd descended into panic.
In his defence, Shakeil Thibou claimed he had picked up the knife at the carnival and had only used it in self-defence against Mr Isaac. He said the fatal stabbing of Ms Maximen was an accident. The jury rejected this account.
Emma Currie, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “This is a profoundly tragic case where a young child lost her mother, on what was meant to be a family-friendly day for them both at the carnival. Cher was caught up in the chaos caused by the Thibou brothers, who robbed her of her life and her daughter of a future with her mum.”
The case has sent shockwaves through the community, and many hope the guilty verdicts will bring a measure of justice to those mourning the devastating loss.
