Leah Campbell-Knechtel, 28, was found hiding beneath a bedframe by police after a 48-hour manhunt following a knife attack on her 66-year-old boyfriend in Islington, north London. The woman had plotted the attack alongside Jawad Naser, 47, who stabbed the victim after a financial dispute, a court heard.
Attack and search
Police were called to a flat where they found the victim, who had been stabbed multiple times. An argument broke out when he demanded money back, police said. Campbell-Knechtel had lured her partner to the flat, and passed a kitchen knife to Naser, who then carried out the attack. The victim had given her thousands of pounds during their relationship, including cash on the day of the attack, the court heard.
Naser was arrested at his home within four hours of the attack, where officers recovered blood-stained trainers. Body-worn video released by the Met shows officers armed with tasers entering an address in Muswell Hill on January 20 as part of the two-day search for Campbell-Knechtel. Officers entered a bedroom, lifted a mattress, and found her hiding beneath the bedframe. She was arrested and taken into custody.
Sentencing and investigation
At their trial at the Old Bailey, Campbell-Knechtel and Naser were each sentenced to ten years in prison after being convicted of grievous bodily harm. The jury found them not guilty of attempted murder.
Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Alger, of the Met's Central North Criminal Investigation Department, said: “Campbell-Knechtel thought she could avoid justice by hiding under a bed, but our officers were right on her trail. This was a savage knife attack by Naser that left the victim with life-changing injuries.”
She added: “Less than 48 hours after the attack, officers had pieced together the evidence, tracked down the suspects, and put them in custody. Now they're exactly where they belong – behind bars. Campbell-Knechtel may not have wielded the knife herself, but she lured the victim into a false sense of security and made the attack possible. The sentences recognise that her role was every bit as serious.”
Detectives identified Naser and Campbell-Knechtel as suspects through witness evidence, CCTV enquiries, doorbell footage and other intelligence gathering.
