A man who stabbed a young mum to death in front of three-year-old daughter at Notting Hill Carnival has been jailed for life.
Cher Maximen, 32, was caught in the middle of a ‘horrifying outbreak of violence’ as she sat chatting to friends on August 25 last year.
She was knocked to the ground during a fight between Shakeil Thibou, 20, alongside his two brothers and several police officers.
After getting back to her feet, she appeared to lift her right leg at Thibou, who raised a ‘huge’ knife directly towards her and deliberately stabbed her in her groin, inflicting a 12cm wound.
He was sentenced today at the Old Bailey for life with a minimum of 29 years.
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Judge Katz said it was ‘not possible to overstate the impact’ of Ms Maximen’s death on her family and friends.
‘Cher Maximen took her three-year-old daughter to a children’s day at the Notting Hill Carnival,’ he said.
‘Instead of them both just enjoying a fun day together, that child witnessed her mother being murdered in front of her.
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‘The police were totally outnumbered as the violence spun out of control.
‘Just watching the bodyworn footage was terrifying. You were so brazen that it was carried out in front of police officers.’
Showing police bodycam footage of the attack, prosecutor Ed Brown KC said: ‘You will see pure anger in the face of Shakeil Thibou. This was right in front of her three-year-old daughter.
‘The injuries inflicted on Ms Maximen were fatal – the defendant had killed her. It was a truly shocking attack, and regarded as such by those around it.’
Cher died nearly a week later on August 31.
Cher’s cousin Laurence Hoo has said the family has been left with an ‘overwhelming sense of loss’.
He told Sky News: ‘It is the cruellest thing, it truly is. I can remember being in the hospital being sat there with her, with other family members and that’s the last time I saw her. It still doesn’t feel real. There’s still disbelief.
‘It’s the most senseless act to someone who had so much life and so much to give.
‘She saw her mother drop to the floor, and then she saw her mother bleed. That’s the daughter’s last living memory of her mother.
‘And to live with that, knowing that that’s happened, that somebody did that. That’s why it’s so hard and that’s where the rage comes from.’
Thibou was found guilty of murder and also convicted of attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to 20-year-old Adjei Isaac with intent, and having an offensive weapon.
Thibou’s brother Sheldon Thibou, 25, was found guilty of violent disorder and assaulting PC Oliver Mort, who tried to intervene.
A third brother, Shaeim Thibou, 22, was cleared of violent disorder but convicted of assaulting PC Mort after the jury deliberated for 50 hours and 33 minutes.
The siblings, of Hammersmith, west London, had denied the charges against them although Sheldon Thibou admitted having the stun gun.
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