He killed robbery victim for not handing over his bike

A killer who stabbed his victim with a 20cm-long kitchen knife after trying to steal his bike is facing life behind bars.

Drug dealer Shakim Purnell-Taylor, 19, knifed his victim, Leo Marcus, in the heart during a frenzied attack that started as a robbery gone wrong.

There were gasps from the public gallery as Purnell-Taylor was convicted by the Old Bailey jury.

He waved to a family member in the public gallery who blew him a kiss as he was led from the dock.

On 10 July last year Purnell-Taylor had approached Mr Marcus in an alleyway in Woolwich, southeast London, intending to rob him.

The 22-year-old victim refused to hand over his rucksack and mountain bike and managed to wrestle the would-be thief to the ground.

But Purnell-Taylor reached for a knife in his clothing and repeatedly stabbed the victim in the arm, buttock, shoulder and thighs, leaving him crying out for his mother.

Mr Marcus was left with six deep wounds, including a 12cm chest wound that pierced his heart. He was pronounced dead the same day.

Purnell-Taylor claimed he acted in self-defence and denied murder.

Anthony Orchard QC, prosecuting, said: ‘The defendant struck out with a knife.

‘Not only was he acting unlawfully but he was using a level of force wholly disproportionate and excessive, fearful no doubt of retribution from others.

‘What did defendant do after stabbing? Endeavoured to avoid capture, got rid of his phone later that night.

‘On arrest he feigned surprise, saying: “What, someone’s dead?”

‘You can be sure he knew full well Leo had died. He said the cut to his right thumb was sustained a few days before while cooking – obviously this was a lie.

‘Sadly what happened that afternoon has become all too familiar in London. The motive was money, the background was drugs.

‘The person who didn’t have a weapon that afternoon was the person who tragically ended up dead.

‘You will remember the last words of Leo as he cried “help, help” and how he asked for his mum. There was only one victim in this case – Leo Marcus.”

The court heard how police retrieved 157 wraps of drugs from the teenager’s underwear.

But Stephen Moses defending Purnell-Taylor, warned against ‘destroying the life of a young man’ who he described as ‘vulnerable’.

‘An eye for an eye will not create justice for Leo Marcus,’ he said.

Purnell-Taylor, of Gunyard Mews, Woolwich, previously admitted robbery and possession of a knife.

The teenager has previous convictions for robbery, assault, two counts of possession of a blade, theft, supplying class A drugs and witness intimidation.

He is due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on Wednesday.