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Buster’s killer is sentenced to life
A 19-year-old man has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 18-years for the murder of 16-year-old Julian Knight, known locally as Buster.
19 year old, Stelios Paraschakis of Thamesmead, SE2, stood trial at the Central Criminal Court following his arrest on the evening of 17th July 2006 at Heathrow Airport having come in on a flight from Athens. He was found guilty on 30th April 2007
18 year old Amy Curran was also sentenced today for the role that she played in the events that led to the death of Julian Knight. She was sentenced to six-months for affray and 12-months for perverting the course of justice, to be served consecutively.
On Friday 14th July 2006, Julian “Buster” Knight had spent the evening with a number of friends in a residential garden in Overton Road East , Abbey Wood, before the group decided to walk to a nearby petrol station.
Three members of the group, including a man on crutches, were later standing by a set of bollards in Overton Road when they were attacked by Stelios Paraschakis and Amy Curran. It is understood that Paraschakis believed some members of this group were responsible for an arson attack that had occurred earlier at his address.
Paraschakis, who was well known to the group of friends, had a knife in each hand . Without warning or provocation, he stabbed Julian once in the right hand side of his neck.
Despite his injury, Buster tried to run to his nearby home but did not make it and he collapsed in Lensbury Way. An ambulance was called, and Buster was conveyed to nearby Queen Elizabeth Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 02:29hrs. He had died in the street.
Both Paraschakis and Curran ran from the scene in the general direction of Paraschakis’ home address. En route, Paraschakis made a call to a friend and arranged to be collected nearby before being driven to an address in Leda Road, SE18.
It was at this address that Paraschakis set about making arrangements to leave the country. At 06:25hrs on 15th July 2006 he subsequently boarded a flight from Gatwick Airport, destined for Athens where his father lived.
Two days later, and in the company of his father, Paraschakis returned to Heathrow Airport where he was subsequently arrested for the murder of Julian Knight.
Following their convictions Detective Inspector Tim Dobson, Homicide and Serious Crime Command said:
“We welcome today’s sentencing. This was a senseless attack on a totally innocent 16-year-old boy, and my thoughts are with his family and friends whom have had to sit through a lengthy and distressing trial.
“Whilst Buster will never be forgotten I also hope that in his memory others may learn from this tragedy and other families are spared the distress and heartache a murder causes.”
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Jamelia will be headlining this year’s Trust Thamesmead Summer Festival which co-insides with Thamesmead’s 40th birthday. Keeping in theme, acts from the last four decades, including Showaddywaddy, The Real Thing, Sybil, Antony Costa, The Honeyz and Trust Thamesmead’s T Factor winners Audio Hawk will all be performing on stage.
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