Two men have been sentenced to life imprisonment after being found guilty of the murder of 16-year-old Taye Faik, who was fatally stabbed just yards from his home in Edmonton. Bernard Carroll, 20, of Church Street, Enfield, and Josiah James Semper, 19, of Cromie Close, Enfield, were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Tuesday, 22 October. Both men will serve a minimum term of 22 years.
The court heard that on 1 October 2023, Carroll and Semper pursued Taye as he fled towards his home. Semper, armed with a flick knife, inflicted the fatal wound while Carroll drove the car to Kendal Gardens, fully aware of the violence that would occur. Detectives revealed that the attack had been planned in advance.
Brutal Attack Detailed in Court
Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, led the investigation. She commented, “This was a shocking and brutal attack on a teenage boy who was yards from his front door. Semper was armed with a flick knife and inflicted the fatal wound, while Carroll drove the car to Kendal Gardens, fully in the knowledge that Semper was armed and in no doubt that significant violence would take place. It was evident from the investigation that there was a significant degree of planning involved.”
Taye had been out walking his dog when he was attacked. Witnesses reported hearing the commotion and saw the car speeding away. Despite emergency services’ efforts, Taye collapsed in the hallway of his home, where he succumbed to his injuries.
Investigation and Arrests
The police launched an investigation immediately after being called at 11.27pm on 1 October 2023. CCTV footage was instrumental in tracking the movements of the car used in the attack. The vehicle found abandoned with false registration plates in a nearby car park, had been reported stolen a couple of weeks before the incident.
Officers arrested Bernard Carroll on 6 November 2023 at an address in Edmonton. Carroll refused to cooperate with the investigation. Semper fled to Antigua shortly after the murder but was arrested upon his return to the UK on 17 November 2023. He also declined to answer any questions regarding the attack.
DCI Yorke’s Message
Detective Chief Inspector Yorke expressed sympathy for Taye’s family, stating, “Taye’s family have had to endure the trauma of losing him and then hearing evidence of the attack throughout the trial process. While nothing can be done to ease their pain, I hope that the fact Carroll and Semper have been held to account for their part in Taye’s murder brings them a small degree of comfort.”
She added, “This conviction and the subsequent sentence should demonstrate the serious consequences and loss of life associated with carrying a knife. The sentencing today should act as a deterrent to anyone else in possession of such dangerous weapons.”
Ongoing Impact
The tragic murder of Taye Faik highlights the deadly consequences of knife crime. Authorities urge the public to come forward with information on violent crime and to support efforts in reducing knife possession.
