A Somali asylum seeker has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 25 years for the random murder of a bank customer in Derby. Haybe Cabdiraxmaan Nur, 47, stabbed Gurvinder Singh Johal to death inside a Lloyds Bank on May 6, just months after arriving in the UK via small boat.
Nur attacked the 37-year-old father-of-three without warning or provocation while Johal queued to collect staff wages for his restaurant. CCTV footage showed Nur entering the bank, stabbing Johal in the chest with a kitchen knife, and calmly walking away within 22 seconds. Johal was pronounced dead at the scene despite efforts to save him.
Less than two hours before the killing, Nur contacted charity Migrant Help, threatening he was "going to kill 500 people" including "doctors, police or people working at the Home Office." The charity alerted authorities, but Nur carried out his attack before police could intervene. His asylum application had been rejected by the Home Office, and he was appealing the decision at the time of the murder.
Criminal History Across Europe
Nur had paid 400 euros to reach the UK and was known to police in Italy, Germany, the Netherlands and Luxembourg for various offenses including robbery, assault and theft. In 2023, he received a suspended sentence in Italy for robbery and assault. He had also been arrested in the UK in December 2024 for violence and public order offenses, though no charges were brought.
Judge Shaun Smith KC described the murder as a "brutal and callous act" at Derby Crown Court. "It was a real-life horror film for everyone connected to Mr Johal and everyone who had the misfortune of witnessing your wicked act," he said during sentencing.
Johal's family said in a victim impact statement: "Our lives didn't just change, they shattered. The future now feels like a life sentence of grief." His three young children have been told "a monster took daddy away," the court heard. The family described Johal as a "devoted husband, loving father, cherished brother and loyal friend" who owned the Hen and Chickens Bar and Grill.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
