Man jailed for life after stabbing friend to death with ‘Rambo’ knife

Tyrone Farquharson was sentenced to life for murdering his friend with a knife. Pic: Metropolitan Police

A man has been jailed for life after murdering his former friend with a ‘Rambo’ knife following a row over a stolen motorbike in Croydon.  

 Tyrone Farquharson, 20, from South Norwood was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Friday for murdering 20-year-old Kelva Smith. He was also sentenced to 18 months for knife possession.  

Kelva Smith, who was murdered with a knife by Farquharson. Pic: Metropolitan Police

 Smith was murdered on March 5 in South Norwood, Croydon when Farquharson suddenly and violently attacked him with a knife on the street.  

 At around 4pm, Smith arranged to meet Farquharson to talk about a motorbike that he had stolen weeks earlier from Croydon which he wanted to sell.  

The stolen motorbike that was the subject of the fight between Farquharson and Smith. Pic: Metropolitan Police

However, the motorbike had been found missing the night before. He was then told by Smith’s brother that Farquharson and a 14-year-old boy had been riding it. 

 When Smith met Farquharson with his cousin, he thought that he was not being honest about the bike. This is when the fight broke out and Farquharson pulled out a knife on Smith. He was stabbed five times, including in his left side and his abdomen.  

 Smith’s cousins and members of the public tried to save him, as the attackers fled the scene. A number of witnesses saw Farquharson walk home, laughing and joking, with his weapons clearly visible.  

 The London Air Ambulance Service were quickly at the scene and officers and paramedics fought to stop the internal bleeding from the stab wound to Smith’s abdomen. He died on Albert Road at 5:34 pm.  

 The 16-year-old, from East Croydon who was previously convicted of possessing an axe as well as a conspiracy to rob was found not guilty of murder. He will be sentenced on December 19. 

 A 14-year-old boy from the South Norwood area was previously found not guilty on all counts. He has previously denied murder, possession of a knife and attempted wounding.  

 Detective Sergeant Rob Tickle from the Homicide and Major Crime Command said:  

 “Today a young man was sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing his former friend to death. It is important that people understand the reasoning for the minimum term imposed by the judge and that Farquharson will have to serve 21 years before he can even be considered for parole…There is no reduction by half for sentencing in a murder case.”  

 “Knife crime is the scourge of towns and cities and a blight on the futures of our young people, whether it be those who carry and use them or worse, those who suffer appalling and life changing injuries as a result of being attacked.” 

 “The Smith family have paid the ultimate price with the death of Kelva. I feel that we have to do more as a society to stop this and change the mindset of those carry and use weapons.”

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