A Sudanese man identified as Rasheed Rahman, 21, has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 27 years for the murder of 55-year-old Mark Carroll. The killing occurred on April 10, 2024, in a park in Camden, north London. Rahman was on police bail for a prior violent incident, which took place just two days before he murdered Mr. Carroll.
On April 8, 2024, Rahman engaged in a public disturbance along a canal towpath, assaulting several individuals before being bailed by the police. This incident followed an earlier attack in February 2024, where Rahman broke Iulian Cavaliuc's arm with a wooden club and stabbed him in the back on a bus in east London. Mr. Cavaliuc reported this assault, but Rahman remained at large while authorities attempted to gather CCTV footage.
On April 9, 2024, the day before the murder, staff at Rahman's supported accommodation unit provided him with a kitchen knife, claiming he needed it for food preparation. He kept the knife and carried it with him to London the following day. During his time in London, Rahman was seen with the knife in Castlehaven Community Park and later discarded it in a bin. CCTV footage captured Rahman leaving the park at 1:23 PM on April 10, 2024.
Judge John Dodd KC described the attack on Mr. Carroll as random and unprovoked, stating that Rahman is clearly a dangerous individual. The court heard that Rahman made an asylum application in March 2023 and was granted temporary leave to remain in the UK. Three months later, he admitted to possession of a Class B drug and a sharp article, a broken pub dart.
Rahman's defense counsel, John Femi-Ola KC, explained that Rahman is from Sudan and had witnessed his sister's murder during an invasion of his village by Boko Haram. He fled to Chad, then Libya, before coming to the UK in the back of a lorry. He was found to be living undocumented in Essex in 2021 and subsequently granted temporary leave to remain.
Mr. Carroll's daughters, Danielle and Ayisha, shared impact statements detailing their father's role as a loving father and devoted grandfather. They described how becoming a grandfather brought him immense happiness and cherished the memories and love he shared with his family.
In addition to the life sentence for murder, Rahman received concurrent sentences of five years for wounding with intent, nine months for affray, and six months for assault. The judge also stated that Rahman would be deported. Detective Chief Inspector Phil Clarke acknowledged the heart-breaking impact of Mr. Carroll's death on his loved ones.