Triple killer asylum seeker who murdered 'perfect boy' in e-scooter row jailed

Home Office welcomes sentencing in 'horrific' case

A Home Office spokesman said: "We welcome the judge's sentencing in this horrific case.

"Our deepest sympathies are with the family and friends of Thomas Roberts, whose life has been needlessly cut short.

"Foreign national offenders who exploit our system and commit crimes here in the UK will face the full force of the law, including deportation at the earliest opportunity for those eligible.

"The Government is committed to stopping abuse of the immigration system, taking decisive action against those who try to play the system."

Home Secretary Suella Braverman (UK PARLIAMENT/AFP via Getty Imag)

Detective Chief Inspector praise's victim's family for remaining 'dignified'

Detective Chief Inspector Simon Huxter of Dorset Police said: "Our thoughts remain with the family and loved ones of Thomas Roberts and I want to thank them again for the dignified way they have conducted themselves throughout the investigation and court proceedings.

"I would also like to thank all those from Dorset Police and the prosecution team from the Crown Prosecution Service, who have worked tirelessly to achieve justice for Tommy and his family.

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"Tommy's family and loved ones have suffered an unspeakable loss as a result of this horrific incident involving a knife.

"Matters relating to the defendant's background and previous convictions have been shared with relevant agencies to ensure appropriate reviews are carried out and areas for learning are identified.

"However, my focus over the past nine months as senior investigating officer has been to gather evidence relating to the brutal murder of Thomas Roberts and ensure his killer was brought to justice for this offence."

'In seconds you took the life of a thoroughly decent man with a bright future'

Before jailing Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai to life, Judge Paul Dugdale said: "On March 12, 2022, you murdered Thomas Roberts, a man you had never met before.

"You spent 26 seconds of your life with him, at the end of which you stabbed him fatally twice to the chest with a large knife you routinely carried with you.

"You started the conflict and throughout you were the threatening aggressor.

"In seconds you took the life of a thoroughly decent man with a bright future who was loved greatly by so many people.

"Your momentary act of extreme, senseless violence has left a family with a tragic loss that they will feel for the rest of their lives."

Abdulrahimzai sentenced to life in prison

Afghani asylum seeker and convicted triple killer Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 29 years.

Salisbury Combined Court (Solent)

Judge says Abdulrahimzai's past life experiences 'left him very damaged'

Judge Dugdale said: "Growing up in Afghanistan would have had an impact on a young child and it has serious damaging effects on the personality and behaviour of those who have lived through it, but we must be careful as to how it is to be taken into account.

"Abdulrahimzai's past life experiences have left him very damaged, I accept that it has affected how he interacts with people and how he reacts to some situations.

"Abdulrahimzai went out armed with a large sheathed knife knowing he would pull it out and use it should the need arise.

"He didn't hide from conflict, he didn't avoid situations that would put him at risk of becoming involved in violence, quite the reverse, as seen during the approach and argument with another man and the approach to Thomas Roberts and James Medway.

"He went seeking trouble with a knife."

Judge says victim 'never posed any threat'

Continuing his sentencing remarks at Salisbury Crown Court, Judge Paul Dugdale said Mr Roberts slapping Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai "could not have been interpreted as a significant threat in the slightest".

The judge said: "He never posed any threat to him.

"Thomas did nothing wrong that night at all.

"He was simply very unlucky to be in the wrong place at the wrong time and to meet Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai."

Judge says Abdulrahimzai caused 'indescribable pain' to victim's family

Ahead of sentencing Afghan asylum seeker Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai for the murder of 21-year-old Thomas Roberts, Judge Paul Dugdale said: "Although I'm sentencing Mr Abdulrahimzai today this exercise isn't about him, it's about Thomas Roberts and it's about the indescribable pain his murder has caused his family and friends, many of whom are in the public gallery today.

"I have been greatly assisted by the statements of Thomas's girlfriend, stepfather, mother, and what has been said in court by his father Philip and I'm grateful to all of you for having taken the time to express the loss that you have suffered.

"It's very clear Thomas Roberts was loved dearly by all of you. He was a contributor with many friends, he had worked hard to be in a position to put in an application to join the Royal Marines, and although entry is notoriously difficult I have no doubt he would have succeeded.

"He was 21 with truly great prospects and the rest of his life to look forward to."

Victim was applying to join Royal Marines

Thomas Roberts was an aspiring Royal Marine who was in the process of applying for a place in the commandos when he was murdered, his family has said.

The 21-year-old worked as a DJ and precision engineer.

His loved ones told the court today they are "broken" and their "heart bleeds" over the brutal killing.

His dad, Peter Roberts, said: "He was intending to apply to join the Royal Marines; in fact, he had completed the application form but delayed sending it off until after his sister Patti's wedding in June 2022.

"I have no doubt that he had the aptitude and fitness to be accepted."

Parents outraged killer was able to pose as 14 at school

Abdulrahimzai was enrolled at Winton Academy and was able to mix freely with children much younger than him, despite being 19 when he arrived.

Outraged mother Abbie Mercy told the Daily Mail: "He was allowed to be with two of my children on a daily basis under the assumption he was 14. He was asking girls out.

'My anger is not with the school, I feel their hands were tied. It’s the local authority and the government."

Cherri Parsons, whose teenage daughter was in the same year as Abdulrahimzai, added: "Any kind of inappropriate behaviour could have occurred as he was asking 14-year-old girls out and changing with 14-year-old boys in PE."

A third unnamed mum told the news outlet Abdulrahimzai was "the school bully" as he was bigger and more manipulative, and went by the name 'Lo'.

She said he was expelled from the school due to fighting.

Abdulrahimzai arrested

Moment Abdulrahimzai flees the scene after the murder

Abdulrahimzai said he acted out of instinct but is 'sorry'

Giving evidence, Abdulrahimzai said he attacked Thomas out of instinct. He had admitted manslaughter but denied murder.

He said: "I was too scared for my life, I was thinking they were the people who were trying to kill me.

"I just reacted, I stabbed him twice... I acted instinctively [and] I lost control.

"I'm sorry from the bottom of my heart, I wish I could change it."

It was heard Abdulrahimzai burned his clothes and buried his knife after the murder, but dropped his phone behind so detectives were able to trace him.

Abdulrahimzai in a store in Bournemouth (PA)

Foster mum said killer was 'Jekyll and Hyde' character

Nicola Marchant-Jones, who fostered Abdulrahimzai from early 2020 to mid-2021 in Poole, told the court he was a 'Jekyll and Hyde' character who could go 'from zero to 100 almost instantly'.

She said the "troubled" asylum seeker's default setting was to "fight" and that he thought it was his "right" to carry a knife, having been persuaded to after being beaten up in Bournemouth in November 2020.

Ms Marchant-Jones said he often got into trouble at school for fighting.

On a shopping trip to JD Sports to buy a new coat she caught the defendant with a knife - which he had taken from her kitchen - and took it from him.

He had made a sheath for the weapon, and kept it on his waist.

"At one point he said he was doing street fighting," she added. "He appeared to have lots of money. I didn't see any money but he was buying nice things.

"He said he got £100 for ten minutes fighting."

Nicola Marchant-Jones, foster carer of Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai (Nicola Marchant-JonesFacebook)

Uncertainty over Abdulrahimzai's age led to unusual court hearing

When he arrived in the UK Abdulrahimzai told authorities he thought he was 14 and when arrested for Thomas' murder he said he believed he was 16, leading to an unusual court hearing to determine his age.

As a result, he could not be identified in the press due to legal reasons.

However, checks were carried out and at court it was determined he was born in October 2001. He was transferred from a young offender institution and a judge ruled that he could be identified in the press as he is an adult.

Abdulrahimzai claims Taliban killed his parents and stabbed him 28 times

The court heard Abdulrahimzai claimed the Taliban killed his mother and father when he was younger and stabbed him 28 times, leaving him for dead on the side of the road.

Abdulrahimzai left Afghanistan in October 2015 and arrived in Serbia the same month.

Later in October 2015 - having given a number of different names and ages to authorities - he arrived in Norway, and in July 2016 he was in the city of Trieste, Italy, before returning to Serbia in June 2017.

In October 2018 he returned to Norway, and having been denied asylum, travelled to the UK from the French port of Cherbourg, arriving in Poole, Dorset, in December 2019.

Abdulrahimzai threatened Thomas and pal over an E-scooter

Victim Thomas had been trying to break up a row between his friend James Medway, 24, and "aggressive" Abdulrahimzai over a scooter after a night out in Bournemouth, Dorset.

The "kind and funny" Marine hopeful had been enjoying a "chilled" night with his when he suggested they take a Beryl E-scooter home rather than a taxi.

However, Abdulrahimzai quickly confronted the pair and 'threatened' James in broken English, with Thomas stepping in to try to break up the fight.

Thomas was stabbed twice, suffering 10cm deep wounds and multiple cardiac arrests.

James chased after Abdulrahimzai and other revellers on a night out quickly rushed to help dying Thomas.

Abdulrahimzai (centre with black hood - always facing away from camera) having just headbutted a reveller (Dorset Police/Solent News)

Abdulrahimzai was an experienced killer when arriving in UK

While claiming asylum to enter the country, authorities had no idea about Abdulrahimzai's gruesome history.

A year before killing Thomas he had gunned down two fellow Afghans with an AK-47 in Serbia.

The experienced killer pretended to be a 14-year-old schoolboy despite being 18 years old when he arrived in the UK.

Salisbury Crown Court heard during his trial he murdered two people in the summer of 2018 and had been convicted of drug offences in Italy in February 2017.

Prosecutor Nic Lobbenberg KC said: "Between July 31 and August 1 in 2018, during the evening in in Dobrinci… near the motorway, he murdered two people also from Afghanistan.

Mr Lobbenberg KC said Afghans were staying in a shed in the area when an argument broke out over trafficking.

“The defendant arrived and an argument broke about the business of transporting migrants.

“He was armed with an automatic assault rifle, two others had pistols… one of the group said ‘who is the smuggler?’ and then aimed their weapons at the victims

“He shot 18 rounds of a 7.62 calibre Kalashnikov.

“It’s a military weapon with great firepower and rapid rate of fire.

“The range of the shooting was said to be relatively short, three to 10 metres.”

In November 2020 he was convicted of murder in his absence by a Serbian court, having been wanted in the country since the attacks.

He was understood to be 15 at the time of the killings, it was heard.

Mum says victim was 'perfect baby boy'

Thomas Roberts' mother, Dolores Wallace, said she was the "proudest mummy in the world".

The statement, read by prosecutor Nic Lobbenberg KC, said: "He was a perfect baby boy who brought us such joy.

"My heart bleeds, broken-hearted, knowing you are not here any more.

"Since you were born until the day of your death, I will never forget you.

"I'm the proudest mummy in the world.

"It is just unbelievable that you are gone forever."

CCTV footage showing Abdulrahimzai walking in Bournemouth (PA)

Thomas' girlfriend says she is 'surviving but not living'

Thomas Roberts' girlfriend Gemma Walker said she was "surviving but not living" since his murder.

She said in an impact statement: "I was woken up by his best friend telling me he had been stabbed but at the time he was still alive - little did I know the worst would happen.

"I listened to the doctors say they couldn't save him - it was traumatising, I watch it and hear it on repeat in my mind.

"It has physically and mentally broken me that I didn't get to say goodbye or 'I love you' for one last time - it's soul-destroying.

"Tommy was the best thing that happened to me, the reason I worked so hard to ensure our future together - now it's gone.

"He was a boy who showed me what love is, to show me what it is to be wholeheartedly in love with someone. Now all I feel is complete and utter sorrow.

"You may see me being able to walk and talk but I wouldn't call this living, this isn't a good quality of life, I'm just about surviving.

"I will never accept it and I'm waiting for Tommy to walk through those doors and hold me. I will never be the same again."

The police cordon outside Subway on Old Christchurch Road in Bournemouth the morning after the murder (Max Willcock/BNPS)

Victim's dad shares impact of son's death prior to sentencing

The father of 21-year-old Thomas Roberts who was murdered by Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai has shared the impact of his son's death at Salisbury Crown Court ahead of the sentencing.

Philip Roberts said: "My son was stabbed several times in Bournemouth town centre. He was rushed by ambulance to Poole Hospital A&E but they were unable to save his life.

"When I arrived at hospital he was already in the operating theatre but they were unable to stop the bleeding, and after his heart stopped for the fifth time he died.

"I miss him very much in so many ways - his struggle to get up for work at 5.30am, I miss having his help fixing things at home, I miss all his friends coming to the house, I miss his lovely girlfriend coming to stay with him.

"Tommy is my only son, I always wanted a son and he has been taken away from me, leaving a terrible void. I miss him every day, every hour, every minute.

"Now I ask justice is served."

Video shows the arrest of Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai (PA)