CCTV shows 'minor altercation' before plumber killed Deliveroo driver in road rage murder

This is the 'minor road rage dispute' that prompted a plumber to stab a Deliveroo driver to death in attack which saw jailed for life.

CCTV footage captured the attack launched by Nathan Smith, 28, on 30-year-old Takieddine ‘Taki’ Boudhane in Finsbury Park, London, in January 2020.

Smith, of Archway, north London, fled the UK after the attack and remained in hiding for more than a year, but was found by police and eventually charged with murder in June 2021.

He has now been jailed for life and ordered to serve a minimum of 21 years behind bars after being convicted of murder.

CCTV released by the Met Police shows the moment that prompted the attack when Boudhane, an Algerian national living in Enfield, had an altercation with Smith on Lennox Road in Finsbury Park.

The footage shows an argument between Boudhane, who was on his motorbike, and Smith, who was driving a white van, about the latter's driving.

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The CCTV shows Smith emerging from the van with a knife in his hand as Boudhane dismounts his motorbike.

At one point, it appears the incident is over as Smith returns to his van and Boudhane to his moped, but Smith then runs at speed towards the delivery driver, who tries to flee, using his crash helmet to try to defend himself from the knife attack.

Boudhane was fatally stabbed in the chest and collapsed on the street despite trying to chase smith. He died at the scene shortly afterward, despite the efforts of emergency services.

The Met Police said Smith fled the UK the next day, initially travelling to Austria, where he stayed in hiding for more than a year.

He was put on Europol’s Most Wanted Fugitives list and eventually tracked down by detectives and officers from the Met’s serious crime manhunt team in Portugal.

He arrived back in London on 3 June, 2021, when he was charged with murder.

During his trial, Smith claimed he had acted "defensively" after the victim produced a screwdriver.

He told jurors: "He swung for me, I swung back. I was not angry. I was scared at this point."

The court heard that Smith has previous convictions including possession of a prohibited weapon, offences of supplying class A drugs, possession of class A drugs with intent to supply and cannabis possession.

Judge Mark Lucraft QC, sentencing, said Smith had been "aggressive throughout" the attack - which happened in front of members of the public, including a witness who was "clearly alarmed" by what she saw - and had swung at his victim at least five times.

Following his sentencing, Boudhane's mother Sadie Boudhane, said: "Whilst our son was still lying in the street, this man had already started planning his escape from the country.

"He would not accept responsibility for taking Taki’s life, and because of this our family had to endure another 17 months of questioning. Why was he taken from us? Who would do such a terrible thing?

"Both mine and my husband’s health suffered as a result of the stress of losing our son, and the protracted police investigation. My husband then passed away before he could see justice passed on our son’s murderer.

“This man continued to torment my family by refusing to accept responsibility for his actions. He made us endure a crown court trial where my son watched his brother’s murder frame by frame day after day as the CCTV was played and analysed. Even then he claimed he felt like he was the victim and showed no remorse towards my family.

"Not once did he say he was sorry for what he had done, only that he suffered PTSD whilst on the run: On the run because of his own actions, on the run for murdering my child."

Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who led the investigation, added: "It is heartbreaking to see and hear the pain that this senseless murder has caused those who loved Taki. They have shown great strength in coming to court every day during what has undoubtedly been the most painful time of their lives.

"Smith is clearly an extremely dangerous individual and we are pleased he is now off our streets, unable to cause further harm."