Fugitive caught at Notting Hill Carnival sentenced for murdering ex-girlfriend's dad

A fugitive caught at Notting Hill Carnival after murdering his ex-girlfriend's father has been sentenced to a minimum 29 years in prison.

Kamar Williams stabbed bus driver Derek Thomas, 55, in Hackney, northeast London, on 30 July last year.

He escaped from police on foot after crashing a BMW a few days later, but was captured at the carnival on 26 August.

Williams, from the Isle of Dogs, in east London, was last week found guilty of murder after an Old Bailey trial and was sentenced today.

Anthony Orchard KC told the court Williams was looking for the victim's daughter, Carron Thomas, on the night of the murder.

Ms Thomas had received threatening and abusive text messages from Williams and called police twice in the hours before her father was attacked.

Williams, who had earlier gone to Ms Thomas's sister's address, went to her father's home looking for him or his daughter, but they weren't in.

As he was driving away, he spotted Mr Thomas walking on Stoke Newington Common at around 11pm.

He had finished a bus driving shift and had gone to Tesco for some food before heading home.

Williams stopped his van, got out and stabbed Mr Thomas five times, leaving the contents of the shopping bag strewn over the pavement and road.

Mr Orchard said: "Having stabbed Mr Thomas, the defendant left him for dead and went on the run, only being arrested a month later at the carnival."

Williams claimed he acted in self-defence after the victim produced a knife.

He told the court he had wanted to talk Mr Thomas about his relationship with his daughter and that he took the knife from him and stabbed him with it.

Following the guilty verdicts, Mr Thomas' family said: "Derek will be greatly missed by his family and friends, he was a dedicated family man and worked hard to provide for them. He was the life and soul of the family.

"Derek was always on hand to provide support, knowledge, advice and was a calming influence when it was required.

"His passing has left a massive hole in the lives of his wife, children, grandchildren, family and all that knew him. He was greatly loved by all and will never be forgotten."