London: A 24-year-old drug dealer has been convicted of murdering a 56-year-old Indian-origin woman who he did not know and had never met before.
Chukwuemeka Ahanonu was driving under the influence of drugs on June 24, 2025, when he crashed his car in Leicester in the UK. He got out of the wreck and attacked Nila Patel. He even stamped on her head as she fell on the street, causing severe brain damage. She died in hospital two days later.
Authorities have described it as a “most horrific, violent and random attack”.
A jury found Ahanonu guilty of murder on Monday. He had admitted manslaughter but denied murder, claiming diminished responsibility. The jury, however, upheld the murder charge, as reported by Hindustan Times.
“A man has been found guilty of the murder of a woman who he randomly attacked in a Leicester street after crashing his car while under the influence of cannabis,” the Leicestershire Police said in a press release.
According to the prosecution, Ahanonu flipped his BMW close to Leicester Royal Infirmary on that day. He had been driving “erratically and dangerously” shortly before the crash, swerving across lanes and ignoring traffic lights, the police said.
He then emerged from the wrecked car and targeted Nila at random, kicking and punching her and stamping on her head.
Nila suffered a fractured skull and a brain injury in the attack, a BBC report said. She died two days later in hospital.
Ahanonu was finally restrained by security officers from the nearby Leicester Royal Infirmary till the police arrived. He had been smoking cannabis before the brutal attack, it was later ascertained. A bag of cannabis was also found in his wrecked car.
He was tested for THC hours after the assault on Nila. The test found a level of 7.6 mcg, well above the limit of 2 mcg.
The 24-year-old maintained his flashy lifestyle by selling drugs, the Court was informed. He earned upwards of £10,000 a month through drug dealing and had a network of over 250 customers.
The money paid for his house, cars and his own drug habit. The court was also told that Ahanonu had “smoked lots of cannabis” before the attack on Patel.
He admitted to dangerous driving, possession of cannabis with intent to supply and assault of an emergency worker. During police interviews, the drug dealer claimed he could not remember attacking Nila.
“Ahanonu was unknown to Ms Patel. After crashing his vehicle, he ran from the scene, violently attacking Ms Patel. This was the most horrific, violent and random attack by a stranger on a kind, gentle and loving woman, who was simply making her way home,” Leicestershire Police detective inspector Emma Matts said.
“It is hard to imagine what Ms Patel went through in those moments. My thoughts continue to remain with her and with her family and friends, who have suffered and continue to suffer the most horrendous distress and pain,” she added.
Nila’s children Jaidan and Danika Patel, remembered her as “funny, kind and deeply caring” in a heartfelt tribute.
“She was quiet, gentle, funny, kind, loving and deeply caring. She always put others before herself and she never expected anything in return,” they said.
“Mum still had so much life ahead of her. She should have had the chance to grow old, to enjoy retirement, to become a grandmother and to celebrate many more milestones with her family,” they added.
