A man who carried out a frenzied and unprovoked knife attack on two strangers at a London Underground station has been sentenced to 11 years in prison. Nicholas Green, 36, showed no emotion as he calmly left Kennington Tube station after the violent rampage, which was captured on CCTV.
A Frenzied Attack on the Northern Line Platform
The horrific incident took place on the evening of 27 March 2024. Two men, aged 42 and 44, had just finished a dance class and entered Kennington station shortly after 10:30pm. They were waiting on separate platforms on the Northern line when Green tapped into the station using his bank card and descended to the platform.
Without warning, Green launched a brutal assault on the 44-year-old man, stabbing him repeatedly for around 20 seconds with a knife clenched in his right hand. The attack continued even after the victim had collapsed to the floor. Hearing the commotion, the 42-year-old friend rushed to intervene, only for Green to turn on him and attack him in the same frenzied manner.
The Calm Escape and Police Investigation
After other horrified passengers intervened, Green got to his feet and made his way to a lift. CCTV footage showed him inside the lift, breathing heavily but otherwise emotionless. He then assaulted a 31-year-old woman in the lift before pushing through the station barriers to exit as though nothing had happened.
Detectives from the British Transport Police (BTP) launched an urgent investigation. They quickly identified Green as the suspect by tracing the bank card he used to tap into the station. He was arrested at his flat on Kennington Park Road the following day. During a search, officers found the bank card, along with the trainers and jacket he wore during the attack – the latter having been freshly washed in an attempt to destroy evidence.
Laughing in the Face of Justice
During police interviews, Green repeatedly laughed, lied, argued and tried to frustrate the investigation. He never provided any explanation for his sudden 'torrent of violence'. Both stabbing victims suffered life-altering injuries. The older victim sustained multiple chest stab wounds and a fractured arm, while the younger victim was stabbed a total of 13 times.
At his trial at the Old Bailey, Green was convicted of two counts of grievous bodily harm with intent, one of possessing a bladed article and one of common assault. He was cleared of two counts of attempted murder and one of sexual assault.
Sentencing and a Message from Police
At a sentencing hearing last month, Green was handed an 11-year prison term. Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell of the BTP said: "This was a truly horrific and unprovoked attack that left two innocent men with life-altering physical and psychological injuries."
He added that the officer's tireless work gathered the crucial evidence needed to secure a conviction. "I hope this sentencing brings some measure of justice and reassurance to the victims and their loved ones," DCI Attwell stated. "We will stop at nothing to ensure violent offenders like Green are held to account and removed from the streets."
