By James Simons-
A Leyton man has been jailed for life after murdering a fellow hostel resident in what police called a “horrific act of violence”.
Mahi Noor, 25, (pictured)of Lea Bridge Road, will serve a minimum of 20 years in prison after being found guilty of murdering 32-year-old Abdi Khadar Adan, in a row over cannabis which began on text message.
Noor was sentenced at the Old Bailey today (January 26) and also received a consecutive three-year sentence for perverting the course of justice.
The court heard that Abdi went into Noor’s bedroom on August 22 2021, only to come out six-and-a-half minutes later bleeding after being stabbed through the neck.
Noor and Kieran McHugh, 31, also of Lea Bridge Road, fled the scene and ran to nearby Manor Road, where McHugh hid the knife in some shrubs while Noor kept watch.
Officers later recovered the knife, which had Abdi’s blood on it and Noor’s DNA.
They called for a taxi to take them to Victoria Railway Station, with Noor calling 90 seconds later to chase the booking.
McHugh was arrested back at his hostel room the next day, while Noor was arrested two days later in north London. A quantity of cannabis was found on him.
Whilst waiting to be booked into custody, Noor made a comment to officers saying: “Congratulations, I’ve made myself famous.”
Noor gave a prepared statement saying the cannabis found on him was for personal use and answered no comment to all questions. He was charged with murder on August 26 2021.
Det Ch Insp Larry Smith, senior investigating officer from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command, said: “It is extremely sad that Abdi lost his life in a horrific act of violence all over some heated text messages.
“Violence is never the answer and we will robustly target and bring to justice anyone who thinks it is.”
The jury heard that Abdi moved into the hostel less than a month before his murder. Noor and McHugh already lived there and had become close friends.
Cannabis Text
By August 1 2021, just over a week after his arrival, Abdi was in regular phone contact with Noor, often messaging about cannabis.
On August 11 2021, tension rose between the pair with Abdi texting Noor telling him to be a man of his word and ‘bust’ his head.
The men continued arguing, with it being clear Noor had previously threatened violence to Abdi.
After this, the pair continued to message with no arguments – mainly about cannabis. However, the messages turned confrontational again on the day of Abdi’s murder.
At 4.08pm, Abdi went into the courtyard and shouted up to Noor’s room ‘why tell me to come up if you’re not going to open the door?’
Less than a quarter of an hour later, Noor let Abdi into his room – which is when he was fatally stabbed.
Murdered: Abdi Khadar Image: Met Police
Abdi left the room at 4.28pm, bleeding heavily, and made it to the hostel reception where he asked the manager to call him an ambulance.
Noor’s co-defendant, McHugh pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to perverting the course of justice and was given a 20-month sentence.
He was acquitted of murder and manslaughter. McHugh has been and will continue to be detained at a specialist facility under the Mental Health Act, police said.