Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, of Poole, was sentenced on Wednesday 25 January 2023 after being found guilty of murder following a trial at Salisbury Crown Court. He was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum period of 29 years.
The victim 21-year-old Thomas Roberts was stabbed in Bournemouth town centre in March 2022.
The fatal incident occurred at around 04.30 outside Subway in Old Christchurch Road. The victim was with a friend, who became involved in a disagreement with the defendant over an unattended electric scooter.
Mr Roberts, who was acting as a peacemaker during the incident, was stabbed twice to his left side by Abdulrahimzai. The victim collapsed on the ground as the defendant fled the scene.
Members of the public provided first aid before police officers and paramedics attended and took over. Mr Roberts was taken to hospital and, despite the best efforts of medical staff, he was sadly pronounced dead at 8.10am.
An investigation was launched and led by detectives from Dorset Police’s Major Crime Investigation Team (MCIT).
Abdulrahimzai was identified through a phone that was left near the scene and subsequent CCTV enquiries and was arrested during the early hours of Sunday 13 March 2022.
During the course of the MCIT investigation, it was revealed that Abdulrahimzai had a previous conviction for murder in Serbia relating to the killing of two people in 2018. The defendant had fled the country before he was convicted in his absence. He also had also been convicted for drug offences in Italy in 2017.
Detective Chief Inspector Simon Huxter, of MCIT, said: “Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of Thomas Roberts and I want to thank them again for the dignified way they have conducted themselves throughout the investigation and court proceedings.
“I would also like to thank all those from Dorset Police and the prosecution team from the Crown Prosecution Service, who have worked tirelessly to achieve justice for Tommy and his family.
“Tommy’s family and loved ones have suffered an unspeakable loss as a result of this horrific incident involving a knife. If you believe someone is in immediate possession of a knife or offensive weapon, please dial 999. If you would like to report your concerns about a knife carrier or need some advice, please call 101 or visit dorset.police.uk and report it online.”
DCI Huxter added: “Matters relating to the defendant’s background and previous convictions have been shared with relevant agencies to ensure appropriate reviews are carried out and areas for learning are identified. However, my focus over the past nine months as senior investigating officer has been to gather evidence relating to the brutal murder of Thomas Roberts and ensure his killer was brought to justice for this offence.”
