Man stabbed through heart by gang who broke into home armed with machetes

07 October 2023 , 09:41

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Dwain Morrison was found guilty of Imran Isat's murder

Five thugs who broke into a man's home armed with knives and machetes before fatally stabbing him five times have been jailed.

Imran Isat was in the living room of his home in Ilford, London watching TV with a couple of friends when he was set upon by the heartless gang.

Dwain Morrison, Salah’din Kerbouba, Ronnie Haydon, Paul Higgins and Dominic Diop stormed the property in the early hours of March 19 last year in what detectives branded a planned robbery. The gang broke through the front door before two then broke down the door of Mr Isat’s flatmate while the other three went upstairs to the living room.

On hearing the noise Mr Isat, 30, went to the living room door to try and keep the men out, but he couldn’t close it. A struggle began at the door and one of the men, who was holding a large knife, managed to stab Mr Isat through the gap, forcing him backwards.

The robbers forced their way in armed with knives and machetes, and were shouting “where’s the stuff?” Mr Isat said something like “don’t hurt me – take what you want”, but one of the robbers stabbed him, while another struck one of his friends on the head with the flat blade of a knife.

Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probe

Salah’din Kerbouba was jailed for 16 years

Dominic Diop was found guilty of manslaughter

One of the robbers then shouted “we’ve found it”, and “let’s go”. CCTV later recorded Higgins leaving with a bag and a suitcase and then going back inside to get a second suitcase. Haydon also left carrying a bag. None of the gang ever told police what was in the bags and police were never able to uncover what they stole.

Mr Isat was pronounced dead at the scene when police officers and paramedics arrived. A post-mortem examination later found that he had been stabbed five times and one of the wounds was fatal having gone into his chest and penetrated his heart.

A murder investigation was launched and detectives discovered that the robbery had been planned. CCTV and doorbell cameras showed some members of the gang arriving earlier and keeping the house under surveillance.

It is believed that the gang were after drugs or money and had armed themselves with knives and machetes in order to carry out the crime. Members of the gang had arrived in two cars and both cars were later found to have been using false plates.

Paul Higgins left the home with a bag and a suitcase

Ronnie Haydon was jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of manslaughter

The five men were all arrested on dates in July 2022 and all refused to answer police questions. Following a trial at the Old Bailey, the jury found all five guilty of their role in the attack.

Morrison, 34, of Chudleigh Road, Romford was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday to a minimum of 33 years imprisonment after being found guilty of murder. Kerbouba, 28, of Sandringham Gardens, Ilford; Haydon, 32, of Grafton Crescent, Kentish Town; Higgins, 36, of Fanshawe Crescent, Hornchurch and Diop, 33, of Cranfield Park Avenue, Basildon were each jailed for 16 years after being found guilty of manslaughter.

Detective Chief Inspector Joanna Yorke, from the Met’s Specialist Crime, said: “This was a planned robbery by a gang who had pre-armed themselves with knives and machetes. Members of the gang were recorded scoping out the house prior to the assault and the cars they used were on false plates.

“The weapons they brought with them clearly show these men were ready to use violence, and murder was the result. This killing was pointless, it is probable that when the fatal stab wound was inflicted, Mr Isat was on the ground and not offering any resistance. It was a callous act of brutality that took his life. We may never know what the gang stole, but it was surely not worth killing a man while he was helpless on the ground.

“Despite their efforts to avoid detection, the extensive police inquiry was able to identify and arrest those responsible. These men were found guilty for their roles in the attack and will now spend years in prison having to face the consequences of their acts of violence.”

Sam Truelove