A 19-year-old man from Mitcham, Ali Abdul Basit, has been found guilty of manslaughter and robbery following the deadly stabbing of 27-year-old Michael Patrick Afonso Peixoto in Thornton Heath last December.
Brutal Attack Outside the Car
The chilling assault unfolded on 19 December 2023 as Peixoto got out of his car on Mayfield Crescent. Basit and his crew waited in a white BMW before launching the savage attack. Peixoto was stabbed multiple times, including a fatal wound to the chest. His female friend was threatened at knifepoint, and their vehicle was stolen during the ordeal.
Gang Members Face Heavy Sentences
- Zak Baako, 30 – Found guilty of murder, handed a minimum 28 years behind bars.
- John Budal, 20 – Convicted of manslaughter and robbery.
- Omari Peat, 23 – Found guilty of robbery.
Fugitive Caught Via DNA and Phone Data
Basit fled the country after the attack, travelling through Europe and the Middle East to Pakistan. He made a return to the UK in May 2025 and was swiftly arrested. Crucial evidence against him included DNA from cigarette butts at the scene and phone records linking him to the crime.
He is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on 22 May.
