Killer who knifed Kensington Palace worker to death jailed for 27 years | Royal | News
A man who tragically stabbed a Kensington Palace gardener to death before calling police from a phone box to hand himself in has been jailed for at least 27 years. Elyas Moussa, 30, was sentenced at the Old Bailey on Wednesday after being convicted of murder following a two-week trial.
His victim, Recorda Davey-Ann Clarke, was a 35-year-old father of two who secured the prestigious gardener role after beating 500 other candidates. The incident happened on Linacre Road in Willesden Green, north-west London, as he was heading to celebrate his girlfriend’s birthday just after Christmas on December 28 last year. Moussa spent three hours drinking brandy at the bar in Willesden Green and then spent a further two hours sharing a bottle with friends.
He had the kitchen knife tucked down his pants and was wearing pajamas to prevent himself from cutting himself with the knife.
The argument began when Mr Clarke touched his hat and Moussa told the court he was “angry” because he “didn’t get permission”.
Bottles were thrown during the fight and Musa later returned to the house where he lived with his mother.
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He claimed he lost his keys and went back outside, but security cameras showed him looking for the victim. He returned to Linacre Road to find Mr Clarke and stabbed him in the chest.
The court stated that “The knife was stuck in his body, damaging the left side of his heart and causing a fatal injury.”
The judge told Moussa: “Instead of leaving and returning home, you walked to Linacre Road intending to confront Ricardo Clarke and attacked him with your knife. He was clearly running away from you, probably because you had taken out your knife.”
“You took the opportunity to use the knife and make at least two attacks on him.”
In a victim impact statement, Mr Clarke’s sister Alton Blissett said how proud the family were when he got the coveted job at Kensington Palace and that he always gave his nieces and nephews flowers.
