A judge has praised the team of detectives who brought murderer Daniel Macleod to justice.
Judge Nicholas Hilliard praised all those who took part in the fast and extensive murder inquiry after Abdul Deghayes died after being stabbed in Brighton in February last year and all those involved in the five-week trial at Southwark Crown Court.
Yesterday (Friday 13 November) the judge jailed Macleod, 37, for life, ordering to serve a minimum term of 19 years.
Macleod, of Gipsy Road, south London, and previously living in Crawley, stabbed Deghayes in a fight just off Elm Grove, Brighton, during a drug deal.
Deghayes, 22, of Chadborn Close, Brighton, was pronounced dead at the Royal Sussex County Hospital just over eight hours later despite extensive efforts to save him.
Detective Chief Inspector Colin Pirie, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, who led the investigation, said: “Our thoughts at this time are with Abdul’s family and friends and we hope that we have provided some of the answers as to how he met his death and crucially, by whom.
“Ultimately, we sought to identify who committed what is the most serious crime of all.
“Daniel Macleod killed Abdul Deghayes in a brutal attack. He stabbed him eight times in his legs, buttocks and back in a sustained assault that Abdul desperately tried to avoid, as was evidenced by the defensive wounds that he suffered to his hands.
“Despite this, Macleod claimed that he was defending himself but the court has not accepted that defence and I thank them for their verdict.
“From the moment that Abdul was found in the car in Elm Grove, this has been a fast-moving and dynamic inquiry and my team worked long hours over many days to maximise the collation of evidence.
“I would also like to recognise the courage of the witnesses who come forward to support us in achieving this result.
“The investigation has shone a light on the extent of Daniel Macleod’s drug-dealing activities in the Brighton area and, during the course of this investigation, we recovered large amounts of drugs, cash and other items indicative of organised crime.
“Daniel Macleod, Stephen Burns and Abdi Dahir were also sentenced for conspiracy to supply class A and class B controlled drugs.
“However, the murder of Abdul was my focus and I would like to acknowledge the incredible and inspiring professionalism of my police officer and police staff colleagues who day after day demonstrated their commitment to this investigation making personal sacrifices to achieve this result, I am very proud of them all.”
