A nightclub bouncer who stabbed and virtually dise
A nightclub bouncer who stabbed and virtually disembowelled a father-of-two before hurling him from his bedroom window was jailed for 12 years today.
(Fri)
Mustapha Taal, 42, knifed Mustapha Sonko in the stomach as he answered the door of his south London home in what a judge called an attempted contract killing.
As the 38-year-old victim sought refuge in his bedroom, Taal callously stabbed him 10 times before throwing him from the first floor window.
Mr Sonko staggered to a nearby street but collapsed from his horrific injuries.
One of his knife wounds was so severe it had exposed some of his internal organs.
Taal, of Yorke Road, Hove, Brighton, denied attempted murder and claimed he was watching football on TV in his Hove home at the time of the attack.
But following an eight day trial, a jury took just six hours to find the Gambian-born defendant guilty of the charge.
Taal fought back tears as Judge Peter Fingret told him: ‘I am satisfied from the evidence in this case that this was intended to be a contract killing.
For what reason I cannot say.
‘
The court heard Mr Sonko was with his wife Corinne and two children at home in Sternhall Lane, Peckham on the night of July 9 last year.
Mr Sonko opened the door to be confronted by Taal wielding a knife and another man.
‘The knife was thrust into the stomach of Mr Sonko without even a word,’ said prosecutor Brendan Kelly.
Mr Sonko ran upstairs to his wife in the bedroom but was pursued by the two men who cornered him.
Over the next five minutes the victim was stabbed ten times.
Mr Sonko was then thrown from the bedroom window but fortunately landed on his hands and knees in the garden.
He ran to a neighbouring road but collapsed.
Medics found his liver and a lung were exposed by one savage knife wound.
Miraculously Mr Sonko made a full recovery and he told police the knifeman, whom he knew as Mustapha, worked as a nightclub doorman at Volks Tavern nightclub in Brighton.
Mr Sonko told detectives the other man was a pal of an acquaintance called Osman.
It was claimed the victim and Osman had a disagreement over cash.
Several weeks after his discharge from hospital Mr Sonko received a call from Taal.
A worried Mr Sonko hung up as Taal demanded to know why he had been named as the attacker.
On September 4 Taal was arrested in Hove.
Mr Sonko picked out his attacker at an identification parade at Peckham police station.
His wife also picked out the Gambian as the knifeman, the jury was told.
The court heard Taal is currently serving a two year jail term imposed in February this year at Lewes Crown Court for possession with intent to supply class A and class B drugs.
Sentencing Taal to twelve years Judge Fingret added:
‘It was a most vicious and persistent attack and it is clear but for the prompt attention of two police officers you would be looking at a charge of murder.
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Taal began sobbing as he was led down to the cells to begin his sentence.
Outside court Det Con Steve Keogh said: ‘We are happy with the verdict because it was a vicious attack on the victim who was extremely lucky not to be killed.
‘There was no obvious reason for the attack to have taken place, other than Mr Taal was sent there to carry out the attack on someone else’s behalf.
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Speaking of Mr Sonko’s current condition, Det Con Keogh added: ‘He will be scarred for life but luckily the damage that was caused has been repaired.
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ends
