A 19-year-old man has been found guilty of murdering a man in a fatal stabbing on Stapleton Road, Bristol, earlier this year. Mustafa Ali, from Fishponds, was convicted by a jury at Bristol Crown Court on Tuesday 10 November of murdering 47-year-old Leon Phillips.

The court heard that on Monday 2 February, Ali met up with four other young men at Pepe's on Stapleton Road. It was there that he met Mr Phillips and stabbed him at a bus stop. Officers travelling through the area to another incident stopped to help Mr Phillips and an ambulance was called.

Mr Phillips sustained stab wounds to his abdomen, upper right thigh and buttock. He died in hospital on the morning of Tuesday 3 February.

What the court heard

During his opening remarks, prosecutor Andrew Langdon KC described Mr Phillips as a “well-known character” in the neighbourhood. He told the jury that Mr Phillips would often be seen, on foot or on a bicycle, in the vicinity of Stapleton Road. On the night of 2 February, he was on a bicycle, travelling with another man, when they approached a bus stop outside Malik Supermarket.

“At the bus stop were five young men, including the defendant, Mustafa Ali, and Leon cycled right up to them,” Mr Langdon said.

It was the prosecution's case that Mr Phillips was immediately pushed and stabbed by Ali, causing him to fall from his bike. The violence was captured by multiple CCTV cameras, and clips shown to the jury showed the victim could be heard crying out.

Ali and four other people were arrested at the scene by officers who had been on their way to another incident further down Stapleton Road. Two officers gave chase to four of the men while other resources arrived to tend to Mr Phillips. The knife used to stab him was later found in a nearby alleyway, and CCTV captured Ali throwing it away as he fled the scene.

Investigation and charges

An investigation was launched by Avon and Somerset Police's Major Crime Investigation Team, and charges were brought against five men aged between 18 and 20, including Ali. Proceedings against the other four were later discontinued by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Edgeworth, the senior investigating officer, said the case was a stark reminder of the devastating impact knife carrying can have. “Behind every incident of knife crime is a family who has lost a loved one and communities that have suffered lasting harm,” she said.

She added that preventing future tragedies depends on communities, partner agencies, youth services and families working together to help vulnerable people find safer and more positive paths in life.

Ali will be sentenced at Bristol Crown Court at a later date and has been remanded into custody ahead of the hearing.