Reece Williams, 30, has been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 12 years for stabbing Shaquille Coote, 27, multiple times on Beaconsfield Street, King's Cross, London, on September 15 last year. Coote sustained life-changing injuries in the eight-second assault.
Williams' brother, Darrell, 27, drove him away from the scene. Detectives identified Darrell through CCTV footage, showing him driving with Reece and picking him up shortly after the attack. Both brothers were arrested nine days later, still in possession of the clothes they wore during the incident.
Reece and Darrell Williams both pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a knife. Darrell received a sentence of at least eight years. Detective Chief Inspector Sarb Kaur stated that the sentences send a clear message about accountability for serious violence on the streets.
The recent attack occurred approximately a ten-minute walk from Upper Street in Islington, where Reece Williams committed a fatal stabbing in 2018. In that incident, Williams stabbed Marcel Campbell, 20, to death on May 21, 2018. Williams claimed self-defense, stating he had arranged to buy drugs and Campbell produced a knife.
Williams was initially jailed for 12 years for manslaughter in December 2018. He was released early, prior to the 2025 attack on Coote. Investigators noted similarities between the two attacks, including the location and Williams' attire, which was strikingly similar for both crimes.