Teenager cleared of all charges after stabbing man on board London train in act of self defence
23 September 2024, 15:52
A 19-year-old has been cleared of attempted murder after he was filmed stabbing a man on board a train in south east London earlier this year.
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Rakeem Thomas claimed he used self-defence during an argument on the three-minute journey between Shortlands and Beckenham Junction on 27 March.
A video of the altercation was shared widely online, with passengers heard screaming “f****ing stop it now” as they watched on in shock.
One woman was heard on the phone to police saying, “there’s a man with a big knife, he’s stabbing someone on the train.”
Following a trial at Inner London Crown Court, a jury on Friday acquitted Rakeem Thomas of attempted murder, wounding with intent and affray - for the fear caused to other train passengers - accepting his self-defence claim.
The court was told the teenager got on the train at Orpington and was standing by the doors as the man he ended up arguing with, alighted at Shortlands.
Rakeem Thomas told police that he’d been stabbed by the other man, who was in his 20s, in 2020 or 2021 - and that the knife belonged to him.
He said he grabbed it when he saw the man reach towards his waistband for it.
Thomas fled the train when it arrived in Beckenham Junction and was overheard telling his mum on the phone afterwards that “it was either him or me”.
He said he panicked and was only thinking about not getting stabbed himself.
Police said the man had suffered life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital where he underwent surgery.
He refused to give a statement to the police.
