Street Murderer Jailed

4 December 2014, 19:18 | Updated: 4 December 2014, 19:22

A man who stabbed a woman to death in front of people in the street in Neasden has been jailed for life.

Justice Cruickshank, 55 (pictured) from Neasden was found guilty of the murder following a two week trial at Isleworth Crown Court.

He was sentenced to life imprisonment to serve a minimum of 22 years.

Detective Inspector Euan McKeeve, the investigating officer from the Homicide and Major Crime Command, speaking at the conclusion of the trial said: "This was a horrific attack on Miss Dillon in full view of the general public.

"Justice Cruickshank showed a total disregard for human life and executed Miss Dillon in broad daylight. I'd like to thank the local community in and around Prout Grove for coming together and providing key witness evidence to help secure today's conviction.

"There can be no excuse for Cruickshank's behaviour and hopefully he'll now spend the rest of his life incarcerated and reflecting upon his actions on that night."

Police were called at around 7.30pm on Thursday 29 May 2014 to reports of a woman stabbed in the street in Prout Grove, NW10.

Officers and London Ambulance Service attended and the woman, later identified as 42-year-Helen, was taken by ambulance to St Mary's Hospital where she died shortly after arrival.

With her at the scene when officers arrived was a man, later identified as her 49-year-old estranged partner. He was initially arrested on suspicion of her murder, but when it became clear from his account that another suspect was responsible, he was released and became a significant witness.

Later on that evening Brent Borough officers arrested Cruickshank at his home not far from the murder scene.

During the investigation detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command found that Cruickshank and Helen's estranged partner had known each other for more than 30 years, and Cruickshank knew Helen from the three years she had been with her partner.

Around three months prior to the murder Helen's partner fell out with Cruickshank when he found out that Helen and Cruickshank had had a brief relationship whilst under the influence of drink and drugs.

On the day of the murder Helen, who had since moved out, returned to her now estranged partner's address. Cruickshank, either with Helen or in close timing to her, also attended the address.

This led to an altercation outside in Prout Street between all three eventually ending in Helen being stabbed, by what eye witnesses reported was a black man with a knife witnesses variously described as 'huge' or 'like a sword'. A man later identified as Cruickshank.

The murder weapon has never been recovered despite police searches.

A post mortem examination gave Helen's cause of death as a single stab wound to the chest.

Throughout his interviews Cruickshank answered 'no comment' to all questions put to him. He was subsequently charged with Helen's murder on 31 May.