A man considered “truly dangerous” who attacked women in east London was found guilty of killing a woman while she was leaving her home to get food for her children before the first Covid lockdown.
James Sinclair, 40, stabbed Shadika Patel to death in East Ham on March 19, 2020. He did not know her.
The jury also found him guilty of trying to murder Beverley Barrzey (48), the next night in Islington.
William Emlyn Jones, QC, the Prosecutor, called it “the stuff that causes nightmares”.
Sinclair will be sentenced Friday at the Old Bailey.
Jurors were told by Ms Patel that she had planned to deliver a food parcel after it was revealed that the capital would soon go into lockdown in order to stop the spread Covid-19.
At the trial Sinclair was shown going up to Ms Patel with CCTV footage after she left her home the night she was murdered.
After a brief and awkward conversation, the defendant and Ms Patel parted ways.
Jurors were then told that Sinclair hid behind the camera and placed a glove on his right hand, before running towards her and stabbing him seven times in her face, head, and shoulders.
Sinclair met Beverley Barzey at Axminster Road in Islington, north London the next night.
Sinclair led his victim down an alleyway, before attacking her with a machete-style blade and stabbing her 16 more times.
The court heard that neighbors were awakened by the defendant’s screams, and they shouted at her. She fled.
The DNA of the women was found on clothing and a trainer seized by police from Sinclair’s Poplar hostel address, revealing a one in a billion match.
Sinclair booked a ticket for a flight to Rio de Janeiro and was planning to fly to Brazil on the 27th of March, Mr Jones QC stated.
Sinclair was not present at his trial, according to the jury.
Gillian Jones, QC, defence barrister, stated that it was his “right to be absent” and asked the jury to not hold it as evidence against it.
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