"Most Dangerous" Man's Crime Spree Began in Hammersmith
Onyenaychi stole laptop before stabbing police officers
A man who has been jailed for life for stabbing two police officers on Ealing Broadway began his violent crime spree in Hammersmith.
John Onyenaychi, 30, from Stratford in East London, was found guilty on October 25 at the Old Bailey of the attempted murder of PC Paul Madden and PCSO Piotr Dolata.
He stabbed them when they discovered that he was already wanted by the police during a routine check on a 207 bus from Shepherd's Bush on December 15 last year.
Onyenaychi was also convicted of two counts of wounding with intent to cause serious harm; one on a further PCSO at the same incident and one in relation to a separate incident in a cab office five days earlier; and a robbery in Hammersmith in the same week.
At the time of the attack on the officers he was on licence, having been jailed for two years for causing death by dangerous driving while high on drugs.
The Old Bailey heard the attack in Ealing was the culmination of a crime spree which included the theft of a laptop from a man at knifepoint in Hammersmith, threatening to kill him and boasting how he did "this for a living".
Onyenaychi also attacked a member of the public, Anwar Memon who was waiting for a cab in an office in Greenford. Onyenaychi had dropped his phone in a cab while threatening the driver and getting out without paying his fare.
An hour later he came to the cab office shouting "I want my phone" before stabbing Mr Memon five times. Mr Memon was treated in hospital for wounds to his arms.
A police investigation of this attack suggested that the person responsible was John Paul Onyenaychi, who was wanted on a recall to prison for breaching his parole conditions in relation to an offence committed in 2008. Police checks on the phone left in the cab also identified it as belonging to Onyenaychi.
Police also found that he had access to a vehicle which had been used in the earlier robbery in Hammersmith, when he contacted a man selling a laptop pretending to be a potential buyer and then drove to the man's address, threatened him with a knife and stole the computer.
Police recovered the vehicle used and inside found a knife identical to the one used in the cab office stabbing.
Four days later, on Wednesday December 15 at 3pm in The Broadway, Ealing, PCSOs recognised Onyenaychi as being wanted on a Recall Notification and surrounded him to stop him from leaving, whilst calling for assistance to arrive.
PC Paul Madden arrived on the scene in a patrol car and spoke to Onyenaychi, who was clearly agitated. Onyenaychi then stabbed him in the face, chin and neck with a retractable knife.
PCSO Dolata tried to bring Onyenaychi to the ground so he could be restrained and was stabbed across the top of his head. A second PCSO also sustained slash wounds to his clothing whilst trying to assist.
The defendant was finally brought to the ground and held by a number of officers whilst he was handcuffed, during which time he continued to struggle threaten to "cut and finish" the officers.
Both officers received immediate treatment from retired surgeon Samad Tadjkarimi, plus colleagues and paramedics. PC Madden, 24, required extensive medical treatment for a throat wound across the jugular vein and windpipe, and a second wound close to thevertebrae in the neck column. The actions of those who attended to him at the scene, along with the subsequent treatment by medical staff, undoubtedly saved his life.
Mr Tadjkarimi, who had retired three weeks earlier, had been Christmas shopping. He said: " It's very humbling that my intervention perhaps contributed to the outcome of possibly saving his life – a very brave young officer. It’s my duty. I’m sure anyone in my profession would do the same. "
PCSO Dolata, 28, received stitches to a 12 centimetre wound from the top of his head to the nape of his neck.
Both officers returned to work and continue to police Ealing Borough.
At the Old Bailey, Onyenaychi was sentenced to: Life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 25 years for the attempted murder of PC Madden; Life imprisonment, to serve a minimum of 20 years for the attempted murder of PCSO Dolata;15 years imprisonment for the wounding with intent in relation to the assault in the cab office; 10 years imprisonment for the wounding with intent of a PCSO in The Broadway, Ealing; 10 years imprisonment for robbery.
All sentences are to run concurrently.
His Honour Judge Kramer praised the courage of the officers and PCSOs involved on the day, and highlighted the bravery of PC Madden in confronting Onyenaychi, a wanted man, while knowing he may be armed.
Detective Chief Inspector John McFarlane of the Homicide and Serious Crime Command said: "Onyenaychi is a very dangerous and violent man and I am pleased that the overwhelming evidence we were able to present at court has resulted in these convictions today.
"The PCSOs and police officers held onto him and arrested him despite coming under a sustained knife attack. I have no doubt that without their bravery in capturing him he would have gone on to continue serious offending.
"Without the intervention of the passers by and other officers at the scene who administered first aid to PC Madden and PCSO Dolata, the outcome of the incident could have been very different. This case reminds us all of the risk police officers face everyday as they work to keep London safe."
A statement released on behalf of PCSO Piotr Dolata said: " "I would like to take this opportunity to express my gratitude to my family, friends and colleagues in the Metropolitan Police Service, for helping me with successfully recovering from my injuries.
"I would also like to state my appreciation to the local community from the London Borough of Ealing for the kind words of support they provided me with during my recovery from the injuries sustained in the incident last year.
"I am relieved that Mr Onenyaychi has been sentenced and that the case has now come to an end. Thank you once again."
October 26, 2011
