Mother stabbed to death in front of 3-year-old daughter at carnival as brothers attacked police officer
Justice Served: Man Convicted in Horrific Notting Hill Carnival Stabbing That Left a Child Motherless
In a case that has shocked a community and left a young child without her mother, justice has finally been served after a marathon 50-hour jury deliberation.
The Old Bailey courtroom erupted with an emotional "YES!" from the victim's family as 20-year-old Shakeil Thibou was found guilty of murdering 32-year-old Cher Maximen during what was supposed to be a joyful family day at Notting Hill Carnival last year.
In a crime that has left hardened court reporters stunned, Thibou stabbed Maximen in the groin with what prosecutors described as a "huge" knife - all while the victim's three-year-old daughter stood just inches away, watching her mother's final moments.
The attack occurred during the festival's designated "family day" - a cruel irony that has not been lost on those following the case. What should have been a celebration quickly turned into a nightmare as a disturbance broke out near where Maximen was standing with her young child.
Prosecutor Ed Brown KC described it as a "truly shocking attack" that began when a physical confrontation erupted between the defendants and at least two other men. The situation escalated rapidly when Thibou's brothers, Sheldon and Shaeim, became involved.
Court testimony revealed that Sheldon Thibou, 25, was holding a stun gun during the altercation, and both he and his 22-year-old brother Shaeim assaulted PC Oliver Mort when the officer attempted to intervene.
But the most disturbing moment came when Shakeil Thibou, after attempting to stab another man named Adjei Isaac, turned his attention to Maximen who had been knocked to the ground in the chaos.
As the young mother attempted to get to her feet, raising her leg possibly in self-defense, Thibou deliberately stabbed her in the groin - inflicting fatal injuries while her terrified toddler looked on.
Despite Thibou's claims that he had merely picked up the knife at the carnival and that Maximen's death was an "accident," the jury rejected his defense. Prosecutors successfully argued that Thibou had brought the weapon to the scene - a conclusion supported by the discovery of another blade during a search of his room.
The brothers, from Kensington in west London, had denied all charges, though Sheldon Thibou did admit to possessing the stun gun. Both Sheldon and Shaeim were also convicted for their roles in the incident, with sentencing for Shakeil Thibou set for May 16.
Emma Currie of the Crown Prosecution Service described the case as "profoundly tragic," noting that the brothers showed no regard for the hundreds of people around them, including families with young children who had come to enjoy the carnival.
"Cher was caught up in the panicked crowd caused by the actions of the Thibou brothers, who robbed her of her life and the chance to see her little girl grow up," Currie said in a statement following the verdict.
For the three-year-old who witnessed her mother's violent death, no verdict can undo the trauma she experienced or return her mother to her. But for the family members who cried out in court as justice was delivered, the guilty verdict marks at least the beginning of closure in this heartbreaking case.
