Brutal Murderer Caught After Axe Attack and Stabbing
Richard Michael Hand, 43, from Falmouth Way, Waltham Forest, has been found guilty of murdering Yassar Moussa. The chilling verdict came after a two-week trial at the Old Bailey. Hand was also convicted for the savage axe attack on another man and possession of an offensive weapon.
Victim Found in St James Park
Yassar Moussa, 37, was found dead in undergrowth near a brook in St James Park, E17, on 24 August 2020. The post-mortem revealed he died from a stab wound to the neck. Hand was arrested five days later on 29 August 2020.
Investigators discovered that Yassar last spoke to friends on 22 August and had visited Falmouth Way, Hand’s home, that same day. CCTV and phone records confirmed contact between the two men.
Bloodstained Evidence and Bleach Clues
Police searching Hand’s residence found Yassar’s bloodstained clothes dumped in communal bins outside. Inside, they uncovered a bent knife, bottles of bleach, and DNA traces of Yassar on a leather sofa. The strong bleach smell suggested attempts to clean up the crime.
Hand’s Violent Past: Axe Attack on Friend
Hand committed the murder while on bail for an axe attack the previous January. He had unprovokedly struck a 56-year-old friend over the head with an axe in Fortrose Gardens, SW2. The victim suffered a fractured skull and multiple serious cuts.
Hand was arrested for the axe attack on 30 January 2020 and remanded in custody until released on bail in July 2020.
Justice on the Horizon
“Richard Hand is a dangerous man who has launched two unprovoked attacks on men who thought they were his friends,” said Detective Chief Inspector Laurence Smith. “I am glad he has now been brought to justice and is likely to be sentenced to serve a significant portion of the rest of his life in jail.”
Hand will be sentenced on Tuesday, 19 October.
