A teenager has been jailed after an analysis of phone data and CCTV footage linked him to a fatal stabbing.
Elijah Gookol-Mely, 18, of Australia Road, W12, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday, July 19, to life imprisonment, having previously been found guilty of the murder and robbery of 17-year-old Victor Lee.
He will serve a minimum term of 20 years.
Detectives have praised Victor’s family, who had to sit through a trial listening to the details of his murder. They had previously described him as shy, introspective, easily manipulated and at risk of being exploited by others.
Victor’s mother said, “In June 2023, my whole life immediately changed, the very meaning of life was shaken…. There was only emptiness and darkness around me. Victor was a child of love, loved by many people who valued him. Victor lives on in my heart and in the hearts of those who love him.”
Victor’s father said, “The death of Victor is like a festering wound that you try to keep clean but won’t heal. We will never have him back, be able to have a discussion about family or life or the world. We will never be able to celebrate his future achievements and life moments, nor will we have closure. I do not believe we have been served by the court system or had justice for the killing of our son Victor. We will have to live with that for the rest of our lives.”
Victor’s sister said, “My only brother played an integral role in shaping my childhood, serving not only as a sibling but as a best friend. Our shared memories, from playful adventures on holiday to heartfelt conversations, are now my cherished memories that I rely on in his absence; memories I thought we could bond over once we grow old and our parents pass away. The once lively atmosphere of our home has been replaced by an eerie silence.
“Of course, there was typical sibling rivalry but in my darkest days, Victor was always there to accompany, console and support me which is something I deeply miss, particularly as I face the future without him. I go to bed at night thinking about Victor’s last moments and what he must have felt, cold and alone, deep in that canal with unimaginable pain all over his body.”
At around 17:30hrs on 25 June 2023, Victor – who was from North Acton – was stabbed near to the Grand Union Canal in Scrubs Lane, W10 and pushed into the canal. Despite local people quickly rescuing him from the water and emergency treatment by police officers and ambulance colleagues, he died at the scene.
The Met’s investigation linked Gookol-Mely to the murder through extensive analysis of mobile phones and the associated data, as well as CCTV from the area around the crime scene, accounts from witnesses and forensic evidence obtained from the scene and from Victor’s stolen bag discarded nearby.
A knife was recovered from Gookol-Mely’s home, on which Victor’s blood and the defendant’s DNA was found.
Detectives established that robbery was the motive for the brutal attack with Gookol-Mely stealing Victor’s bike and his rucksack, which officers believe contained a number of knives.
Detective Chief Inspector Brian Howie, the senior investigating officer who led the investigation, said: “Victor was a 17-year-old young man who was not directly involved with gangs or criminality. He had his life ahead of him and his family have been torn apart by what happened to him, in the most shocking, brutal and disturbing circumstances.
“During the trial Victor’s family listened to deeply traumatising evidence of the violent acts committed against him. No sentence can ever bring Victor back or compensate for the loss of a son, brother and friend, but I and my team are glad to see that the term handed down today means that Elijah Gookol-Mely will spend 20 years in prison, where he cannot destroy another family.”
