A machete-wielding attacker has been jailed for life for killing a promising footballer.
Oguzcan Dereli accidentally dropped his mobile phone moments before he fatally stabbed 20-year-old Abdul-Latif Pouget in Clerkenwell, central London.
Following an Old Bailey trial, Dereli, 27, of Islington, north London, was found guilty of murder and possession of an offensive weapon.
On Tuesday Judge Sarah Whitehouse KC jailed Dereli for life with a minimum term of 24 years.
She told him: “We shall probably never know why you chose to get out of your car that night and run over and stab Mr Pouget.”
Mr Pouget, who dreamed of becoming a professional footballer, was described in court as a “talented and gifted” player and a “role model”.
His mother Kawsar Pouget said: “It feels like every one of us has been stabbed and many of us – if given the chance – would have taken that wound ourselves if it had meant Abs could still be here.”
Previously, prosecutor Danny Robinson KC had said Mr Pouget was riding a moped in Clerkenwell and stopped on Back Hill, near Farringdon station, at about 9.27pm last October 18.
Less than a minute later, a blue Ford estate driven by Dereli turned into the road and stopped.
Mr Robinson had told jurors: “He got out of the car and as he did so he dropped his mobile phone. He did not realise that he had dropped it.
“As he left the car, he had a large machete in his right hand. He ran straight over to Mr Pouget who was still sat on his moped. He struck him with his machete and then stabbed him to his thigh.”
The stab severed an artery causing “instant massive blood loss” and Mr Pouget collapsed on the ground.
The defendant got back in the car with the machete and drove off, leaving the victim “fighting for his life”, Mr Robinson said.
Members of the public and police officers rushed to help, and Mr Pouget was treated by paramedics at the scene before being taken to Royal London Hospital where he died the next day.
Dereli was quickly identified and was arrested last October 22, although the machete was never found.
The defendant’s claim to have stabbed Mr Pouget in self-defence was rejected by the jury.
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