The despicable London criminals given life sentences in the second half of 2018
Murderers, terror plotters and a rapist were among the Londoners given life sentences in the last half of 2018
Frederica MillerReporter
These are the despicable criminals who were handed life sentences in 2018 (Image: Met)
London's violent crime rate soared in 2018 with countless brutal deaths in the capital and knife crime at a seven-year high.
In December, a terrifying 131 murders investigations had been opened by the Metropolitan Police since the start of 2018.
According to the Met at the end of this financial year London murders were up a chilling 51.4 per cent on the previous year and there have been many more killings since then.
But as countless people are slain on London's streets, is justice being served? Violent thieves, rapists, Grenfell Tower fraudsters and terror plotters were among those locked up in 2018, but not all of them were jailed for life.
A life sentence has to be given to someone found guilty of murder, but while the sentence lasts until the offender's death it doesn't always mean they'll have to spend their life behind bars.
What is a life sentence?
A life sentence is a sentence which lasts until the death of the prisoner but it doesn't always mean they will have to spend the rest of their life behind bars.
When giving a life sentence a judge specifies the minimum amount of time a criminal must spend in prison before they are eligible to apply for parole.
A judge can pass a life sentence with a "whole life order" which means the criminal will spend the rest of their life in prison, without ever being eligible for parole.
A life sentence always lasts for life whatever the length of the minimum term.
Anyone found guilty of murder must be given a life sentence and while a judge can set the minimum term, the recommended starting point for anyone who's committed murder with a knife or a weapon is 25 years.
We took a look at the despicable London criminals given life sentences in the last half of 2018.
We took a look at the despicable London criminals who were slapped with life sentences in the last half of 2018.
Pair who stabbed young dad to death in Islington
A pair of thugs who threatened and chased down a young Dad before stabbing him to death in Islington were sentenced to life in June.
Jhon Berhane, 18, of no fixed abode and Dillon Zambon, 20, of Leirum Street, were both sentence to life imprisonment with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of north Londoner Nashon Esbrand.
Berhane was sentenced to life, with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of Nashon Esbrand. (Image: Met)
27-year-old Nashon, of Upper Holloway had recently become a father to a baby girl when he was attacked and killed while en route to his parents' home.
A court heard how on August 24, 2017, Nashon had just dropped his girlfriend and two week-old baby home and was making his way to his parents in Islington when he came across two men. One of the pair was later identified as Zambon, and it's understood one of them was part of a group who had threatened Nashon earlier on.
Zambon was sentenced to life with a minimum of 21 years for the murder of Nashon Esbrand. (Image: Met)
Nashon was then chased down Essex Road into Mitchison Road by a group of youth on bikes and where he was cornered and stabbed on a doorstep just moments away from his parents' address.
A third attacker, a 16-year-old boy who can't be named for legal reasons, was also handed a 12-year sentence for the vicious murder.
The trio were sentenced at the Old Bailey on June 25.
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There were no life sentences handed out in London in July 2018.
Britain's youngest female terror plotter
Britain's youngest female terror plotter was given a life sentence for planning a murderous attack in central London with her mum and sister.
Safaa Boular, 18 of south-west London, was sentenced two terms of life imprisonment for two counts of preparation of terrorist acts, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act (TACT) 2006 in August 2018.
She must serve a minimum of 13 years behind bars.
Safaa Boular is Britain's youngest terror plotter (Image: Metropolitan Police)
She, her mother, Mina Dich, 44, of south-west London and 22-year-old sister,Rizlaine Boular, planned to attack random members of the public in Westminster spot to cause widespread panic, injury and death.
Safaa discussed her plans online with people she thought were fellow extremists but who were in fact working for the security services. She talked about her desire to get hold of firearms and grenade, or 'pineapples' as they were referred to. She also discussed with them potential targets in central London and the possibility of using a vehicle and knife to carry out an attack as an alternative to firearms.
Safaa was sentenced at the Old Bailey for planning the attacks on August 3.
Rizlaine Boular (left) and her mum Mina Dich
Rizlaine was sentenced on June 15 to life imprisonment and ordered to serve a minimum of 16 years. Mina was also sentenced on June 15 to an extended sentence of 11 years and nine months, comprised of six years and nine months' imprisonment and an additional five years on licence.
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Man jailed for murder of Tottenham youth worker
A thug who was part of a group that ambushed and beat a Tottenham youth worker to death was jailed for a minimum of 26 years in August.
21-year-old Neron Quartey was found guilty of killing 22-year-old Kwabena Nelson aka "Kobi" and given a life sentence at the Old Bailey on August 16.
Kwabena was ambushed by a group after they purposefully crashed into his car in Kemble Road, Tottenham on February 3.
The group who were armed with poles and knives, got out of their vehicle before rounding on Kwabena who was beaten and stabbed to death.
Neron Quartey was jailed for the brutal murder of a Tottenham youth worker (Image: Metropolitan Police)
The attackers fled the scene after the assault and emergency services pronounced Kwabena dead at the scene shortly after 1.30am.
Quartey was arrested after DNA found on weapons discarded near the scene connected him to the attack.
He was sentenced at the Old Bailey on July 30 to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 26 years.
Police are still searching for other members of the group they believe to be connected to Kwabena's murder.
Youth worker Kwabena Nelson or 'Kobi' was stabbed to death in Tottenham in February 2017 (Image: Met)
Anyone with information about Kwabena's murder should call the incident room on 020 8358 0200 or police on 101.
Information can also be reported anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org.
On Saturday, 3 February, officers arrested two men, aged 19 [B] and 18 [C] and one teenage girl, aged 16 [D] as part of the investigation into Kwabena's murder, at addresses in Haringey borough.
They were taken to north London police stations and were released under investigation. Enquiries continue.
Burglar who raped woman after breaking into her home jailed
A revolting burglar who broke into a woman's home and threatened her with scissors before raping her and making off with her bank card was sentenced to life imprisonment in September.
Andrei Makara, 40, of no fixed address, broke into the Brent property in the morning of July 24. He threatened a 31-year-old woman living there with scissors before raping her.
After raping the victim Makara demanded she hand over her bank card and PIN number, threatening to kill her if the PIN number was wrong. He then fled the property with the bank card and stole her husband's bicycle on the way out.
Makara was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and robbery
He pleaded guilty to two counts of rape, one count of assault by penetration and one count of robbery at Harrow Crown Court on August 30.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment at the same court on September 26 and will serve a minimum seven years in prison.
Man jailed for fatal stabbing on River Lea towpath
A 28-year-old north Londoner who stabbed a man to death following an argument at a house party will spend at least 21 years behind bars.
Rowmando Lewis of Cunningham Avenue, Enfield knifed 41-year-old Tyrone Silcott on a River Lea towpath after they got into an argument at a house party nearby.
The victim had got into a dispute with a woman about the use of a microphone at the party when Lewis got involved.
Lewis and Silcott took the argument outside the house in Towpath Walk when Lewis drew a knife and stabbed the victim in the back, neck and shoulder before fleeing the scene in a Smart Car.
Rowmando Lewis stabbed a man to death on an east London towpath following an argument at a party (Image: Metropolitan Police)
Lewis handed himself into at a police station on March 20 and was arrested on suspicion of murder- he was charged on March 21.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 21 years, for murder and possession of an offensive weapon at Snaresbrook Crown Court on September 18.
Hayes man who murdered his own mum gets life sentence
A Hayes man who killed his 71-year-old mother with an electric cable was jailed for life in October.
A court heard how 52-year-old Majid Butt of Gade Close, strangled his own mother to death at the Hayes home they shared after she told him she was cutting him out of her will.
The murder, which was ruled to be domestic violence, happened after Butt's mother, Onees Khatoon, called her younger son to complain Butt was refusing to leave the house despite her asking him to get out.
Butt then warned his younger brother not to come to the property or he would call the police.
Majid Butt has been sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 15 years and 10 months (Image: Metropolitan Police)
Butt then "lost his temper", saw the electrical cable for charging his mum's mobility scooter and "felt the urge to strangle her with it", as he later told his sister in a letter from Belmarsh Prison.
He was sentenced on September 12 to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 15 years and 10 months for the murder.
Firearms dealer handed life sentence
A 47-year-old gun dealer was ordered to spend a minimum seven and a half years in jail for a long list of firearms offences.
Lennie St Clare Walters, of no fixed abode was found of owning and dealing guns and ammunition with intent to endanger life.
He was sentenced on September 7 after pleaded guilty to two counts of selling or transferring a firearm and two counts of transferring ammunition and was found guilty of a further two counts of possessing a firearm with intent to endanger life and two counts of possessing ammunition with intent to endanger life.
Lennie St Clare Walters was sentenced to life imprisonment for firearms offences (Image: Met)
A court heard how Walters had previously been convicted of supplying firearms in 2010. This offence included the supply of a Mac10 machine gun. He was sentenced to ten years imprisonment but released on licence in 2015, and committed the most recent offences within that period.
He was sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of seven years and six months in jail at Snaresbrook Crown Court on September 7.
Southall drug dealer knifed rival to death
24-year-old drug dealer, Hassan Mohamed, of Clarence Street was locked away for 26 years after stabbing a rival to death with a kitchen knife in the middle the day.
The 48-year-old victim, Balbir Johal, was followed and attacked by Hassan in Marlborough Road on March 19 after Hassan saw him carrying out a drug deal on "his patch".
Hassan Mohamed killed Balbr Johal by stabbing him with a kitchen knife in a Southall road (Image: Metropolitan Police)
On October 23 Hassan was sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey and told he must serve 26 years behind bars before being considered for release.
His friend and fellow drug-dealer Yaasiin Yussuf, 21, of no fixed abode, was by Hassan's side throughout the attack and convicted of manslaughter. He was sentenced to 14 years imprisonment and an additional three years on license on release.
Yaassin Yussuf was found guilty of manslaughter (Image: Metropolitan Police)
Hackney teenager stabbed to death in street
Jonathan Abora, was sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Israel Ogunsola in Hackeny in April 2017 (Image: Metropolitan Police)
18-year-old Jonathan Abora was sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing fellow teenager, Israel Ogunsola, to death in Hackney.
Israel, 18, died from fatal stab wounds after he was attacked by Abora and an associate who were armed with long knives in Morning Lane, Hackney.
A court heard how the victim had been riding his pedal bike when Abora and a second male jumped out of a car and repeatedly stabbed him.
The attackers fled the scene where Israel was later pronounced dead by emergency services.
CCTV footage from the scene led to Abora's arrest in connection with the killing.
Abora, who was 17 at the time of the attack, claimed he had acted in self-defense of a friend.
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Police believe Israel knew Abora and his associate and were embroiled in a dispute. A member of the public who witnessed the attack told investigators how the attack against Israel was relentless with the clear "intent to kill."
On November 5 Abora was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 18 years for the murder. He was also sentenced to three years imprisonment, to run concurrently, for possessing a knife.
Police are still searching for another attacker in connection with the murder and urge anyone who may have information about the incident to contact them on 020 8345 3734 or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
You can also tweet information via @MetCC.
Allotments murderer
A man who strangled an 80-year-old woman to death with a lawnmower cord on Colindale allotments, was jailed for life on November 29. Rahim Mohammadi, 42 of Goldsmith Row, E2, killed elderly allotment association secretary, Lea Adri-Soejoko, inside a shed at the plots in February 2017.
Rahim Mohammadi will serve a minimum of 19 years behind bars for killing an elderly woman with a lawnmower cord (Image: Met)
He was told at the Old Bailey that he must serve a minimum of 19 years before he will be considered for parole.
Killer of young Camden man
Erick Ekam was sentenced to life imprisonment for stabbing a 20-year-old man to death in Camden in 2017 (Image: Metropolitan Police)
A teenager who stabbed a 20-year-old man to death in Camden was sentenced to life imprisonment on December 21. Erick Ekam, of Falkland Road killed Mohamed Aadam Mohamed in Hampstead Road, Camden on September 4 2017. He knifed the victim in the lower back following a confrontation.
Ekam was charged with murder and possession of an offensive weapon on 5 September 2017.
On December 21 he was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum of 17 years before he can be considered for release.