Followed him after confrontation on night bus and knifed him several times

A man, who stabbed a good Samaritan after he came to the aid of a female passenger on a N207 bus in Acton, has been jailed for twenty years for attempted murder.

21 year old Abtidoon Diriye of no fixed abode was found guilty of attempted murder at Kingston Crown Court on Thursday, last month after an eight day trial. He was sentenced to jail at the same court on Friday, 9 June.

Abtidoon Diriye

The court heard how on 15 October 2016 at 4:47am the victim, aged 37, was travelling on the lower deck of a N207 bus when he observed Diriye get on the bus. Diriye stood in the doorway of the bus and told the bus driver to wait for another man.

The bus remained stationary for about five to six minutes whilst Diriye argued with the driver. At this point a female passenger came down from the upper deck and approached the driver. She informed him it was really late and she along with other passengers needed to get home.

The remark caused Diriye to react aggressively towards her. At this point, the victim fearing for the woman's safety intervened. He pushed Diriye in the chest to move him away.

Diriye immediately came back towards the victim and a scuffle took place. The woman who he had initially tried to help got in-between them to break up the fight.

As the bus moved away the Diriye was still shouting and trying to get past the woman to get to the victim.

A few minutes later the bus arrived at a bus stop in Acton and the victim decided to get off the bus to get away from Diriye but after he alighted Diriye followed him along Acton Vale High Street. Diriye continued to follow him for 15 minutes as he walked down the street towards the junction with Winchester Road. There was no-one else in the street at the time and the victim desperately tried to find a shop to seek refuge. Diriye called out to the victim asking him if he had a lighter for a cigarette. The victim turned around and saw Diriye run towards him. As soon as Diriye caught up with the victim he was stabbed four times in the abdomen.

The victim tried to get away by running down Winchester Road, whilst Diriye continued chasing after him. About 50 metres further down Winchester Road the victim collapsed to the ground.

He was again stabbed whilst he lay on the ground. The victim tried to grab the knife to stop him from being stabbed further. He tried to run again to get away, eventually falling over further down the road. He was stabbed again in the lower side of his back whilst he was on the ground before Diriye made off.

The victim managed to flag down a passing bus and the driver called the emergency services. CCTV of the entire incident from the initial altercation on the bus to the victim being followed and stabbed was retrieved by officers. Diriye was identified as the attacker.

Detective Sergeant Kevin Harvey, Ealing Borough CID said: "Whilst we would not want members of the public to put themselves in harm's way, the victim's heroic actions in stopping a woman from coming to serious harm at a great cost to himself is both courageous and brave.

"The victim was so badly injured by Diriye that he lost two litres of blood and had to have two sections of his bowel removed. He nearly died and in total he received five stab wounds and a number of lacerations. Fortunately he has made a full physical recovery, but the mental scars still remain.

"The victim's public-spirited intervention in trying to stop these violent men should be praised. I am pleased that Diriye has been made to pay for his actions with lengthy custodial sentences."

June 21, 2017