Guilty verdict in murder trial

A 19-year-old man has been found guilty of murder following a trial at Leicester Crown Court and has been sentenced to life in prison, to serve a minimum of 13 years.

Omer Nur, of Chartley Road, Leicester, was involved in a fight with victim Usman Patel, 32, in Green Lane Road in Evington in the early hours of 18 July last year.

Usman was stabbed more than 20 times and Nur left the scene. Residents on Green Lane Road called for an ambulance, but Usman died of his injuries.

Forensic evidence linked Nur to the scene – a bottle of sports drink with his DNA was found near to Usman’s body.

Nur was charged with the murder of Usman on 22 July, after five days of intense investigative work.

Detective Chief Inspector Tony Yarwood from East Midlands Special Operations Unit (EMSOU) said: “Mr Patel had significant injuries as a result of the fight with Nur, with defensive wounds to his hands, too.

“This incident did not need to end with fatal injuries being inflicted; Mr Patel did not need to lose his life. So many lives have been ruined as a result of this incident, and shows yet again the damage that having a knife in a situation that escalates, can have. Do not carry a knife. Think!

“The team worked around the clock to piece together what had happened, working with lots of different teams across the force, including digital media experts, forensics, family liaison officers and local beat officers reassuring the residents.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank our counsel in this case too, Vanessa Marshall QC and David Matthew.

“While it won’t bring Usman back, I hope the verdict today is of some comfort to his family.”

• Six others were arrested as part of the investigation.

• A 34-year-old man arrested on suspicion of murder was release with no further action. Two men, aged 24 and 28, and a 17-year-old youth were arrested on suspicion of murder and assisting an offender. They were all released with no further action in relation to the murder and are currently released under investigation in relation to the assisting an offender. A 23-year-old woman arrested of suspicion of assisting an offender was released under investigation, and a 28-year-old woman arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to rob is also released under investigation.