A 24-year-old drug dealer, Chukwuemeka Michael Ahanonu, was on Tuesday sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 21 years and six months after a jury convicted him of murdering 56-year-old mother, Nila Patel in a random street attack in Leicester, United Kingdom last year.
Ahanonu, originally from Peckham in south-east London, crashed his car near Leicester Royal Infirmary on the afternoon of Tuesday, June 24, 2025, after driving dangerously through the city centre, swerving between lanes and ignoring traffic signals.
CCTV footage released by police showed the vehicle overturning.
Ahanonu, who was living on Dover Street in Leicester, then ran from the scene and launched an unprovoked assault on Patel, a complete stranger who was walking home after getting off a bus.
Witnesses and footage captured Ahanonu punching, kicking and stamping on Patel “with full force,” inflicting a fractured skull and catastrophic brain injuries.
The mother of two was left unconscious and died in hospital two days later on June 26, 2025.
Leicester Crown Court heard that Ahanonu, who was on licence from a previous 24-month prison sentence for offences including possession of a bladed article, had pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, as well as dangerous driving, possession of cannabis with intent to supply and assaulting an emergency worker.
He denied murder, claiming he had no memory of the attack beyond the car crash, but a jury convicted him of murder after a month-long trial on Monday.
Passing sentence, Judge Timothy Spencer KC told Ahanonu: “You murdered a wholly innocent woman. It was shocking, brutal and merciless.”
The judge said Ahanonu had been angry and actively looking for a victim, selecting 5ft 4in Patel because of her gender, slight build and height, and that her race was also a factor.
He added that he was satisfied Ahanonu retained “much more memory of this attack than you have ever had the courage to admit.”
In police interviews, Ahanonu laughed when shown footage of the assault.
When asked why, he replied: “If I don’t laugh, I’ll cry.”
He later expressed “sincere apologies” through his counsel.
Patel’s children, Jaidan and Danika, said in a statement, “Nine months ago today you murdered our mother. The pain of losing her in this way is impossible to accept.”
Danika added, “My mum was the most important person in my life. Losing her in such a violent and senseless way has shattered my world.”
They described her as having “so much life ahead of her.”
Detectives from Leicestershire Police described the attack as “the most horrific, violent and random attack.”
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Inspector Emma Matts said Ahanonu was unknown to Patel and had run from the crash scene before targeting her.
The convict was remanded in custody immediately after sentencing.
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