Bournemouth Brothers Locked Up for Brutal Peckham Park Murder
Two brothers from Bournemouth Road, SE15, Nah’shun Thomas, 20, and Nyran Thomas, 17, have been slammed with life sentences at Croydon Crown Court on 15 May. Nah’shun got life with a minimum of 25 years and three months, while his younger sibling Nyran was given life with at least 19 years and ten months behind bars.
Cold-Blooded Stabbing Over Mobile Phone
Back in the dark evening of 30 December 2022, Kalabe Legesse, 29, was sitting on a bench at Peckham Rye Park in Southwark when the brothers approached on bikes. Threatening him to hand over his mobile phone, they stabbed Kalabe once in the chest during the robbery. Despite efforts from emergency crews, Kalabe tragically died at the scene from a single stab wound to the heart.
Police Praise, Family’s Heartbreak
Judge His Honour Justice Gower lifted reporting restrictions on Nyran, who is still a juvenile, and praised detectives for their thorough investigation. Lead officer Detective Inspector Adam Guttridge said: “The defendants were riding around the area, armed with a knife that they were prepared to use to commit violent offences.” He added, “For cruelly and needlessly ending Kalabe Legesse’s life, they will have years ahead of them in prison to reflect on their actions and the lives they have destroyed.”
Kalabe’s family spoke out, saying: “Nothing can bring back our son Kalabe. He was doing nothing wrong on the night that he was killed and we will never understand why he was murdered over a mobile phone. The defendants have not shown any remorse for what they did to him.”
Evidence and Other Crimes
- Police found a hunting knife wrapped in a black Puffa coat at Nyran’s grandmother’s home, with Kalabe’s blood on the sheath.
- The Thomas brothers had committed two earlier phone robberies where they threatened victims with a knife, demanding “Where are you from?” and “What have you got on you?”
- They pleaded guilty to the earlier robberies and were arrested for murder in January 2023 after extensive CCTV analysis.
Sentences at a Glance
- Nah’shun Thomas: Life sentence with minimum 25 years 3 months + two concurrent 30-month robbery sentences
- Nyran Thomas: Life sentence with minimum 19 years 10 months + two concurrent 20-month robbery sentences
DI Guttridge offered his sympathies: “My thoughts today are with Kalabe Legesse’s family as they continue to come to terms with their loss. It is my sincere wish that they find some comfort in knowing that justice has been served.”
