DRILL RAPPER FOUND GUILTY OF FATALLY STABBING DAD IN FRONT OF SON

A drill rapper who issued a threat in a YouTube video shortly before carrying out a fatal stabbing in broad daylight has been convicted of murder at the Central Criminal Court. Renai Belle, 30, of Swaythling Close, Edmonton, was unanimously found guilty at the Old Bailey of murdering 33-year-old, Josh McKay who was stabbed through the neck inside a Leyton barbershop as his to child looked on.

The incident occurred on Saturday 6 July 2024 at approximately 15:00hrs when Belle entered the premises on Lea Bridge Road wearing a balaclava and armed with a large kitchen knife. CCTV footage played during the five-week trial showed Belle immediately advancing on McKay, who had been seated for a haircut, before inflicting a single but catastrophic wound to his neck.

McKay attempted to pursue his attacker out of the shop while clutching the weapon, but collapsed shortly after. He was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics.

The Crown’s case, led by prosecutor Louis Mably KC, presented detailed evidence of pre-meditation. Belle had arrived in the area as a passenger in a vehicle driven by his partner, Tenika Parker, 39, of Canterbury Road, Leytonstone. Prior to the attack, the pair drove to the nearby address of Daniel Cooper, 22, of Gosport Road, Leytonstone, who was captured on doorbell footage supplying Belle with the balaclava and knife later used in the killing.

Belle was then driven back to the barbershop, where he executed the attack with what the Crown submitted was clear intent.

Following the stabbing, Belle was collected from the scene by Parker, who drove him from the area. Parker’s vehicle was intercepted by police the following day on India Dock Road, Poplar. During a forensic search, officers recovered a pair of distinctive black sliders matching those seen on Belle in the CCTV footage, as well as traces of blood later matched by DNA analysis to the victim.

Parker was initially arrested on suspicion of assisting an offender and later re-arrested and charged with perverting the course of justice after CCTV footage showed her attempting to clean the vehicle in the hours following the murder. She denied knowledge of Belle’s intentions but was convicted of both perverting the course of justice and possession of a bladed article.

Cooper, who handed himself in on Thursday 11 July, admitted possession of a knife but denied further involvement. He was acquitted of any offence beyond that admission. However, forensic evidence linked him to the balaclava and weapon found discarded at the scene, both bearing traces of his DNA.

The jury was also shown footage of a rap video posted on YouTube prior to the incident in which Belle, performing under the alias ‘Topz’, made explicit references to causing harm to Mr McKay. The Crown relied on this as compelling proof that the killing had been pre-planned and followed a long-standing dispute.

Belle gave evidence during the trial and claimed to have acted in self-defence. This submission was rejected by the jury. The murder weapon, recovered from inside the barbershop, was consistent with a knife previously observed at Cooper’s address during police searches.

Throughout the investigation, detectives from the Metropolitan Police Specialist Crime North command analysed more than 100 hours of CCTV in order to track Belle’s movements before and after the attack. He was located and arrested two days later at an address in Pincott Road, Wimbledon, on Monday 8 July.

Sentencing for Belle and Parker is scheduled to take place at the Old Bailey on Wednesday 30 July. Cooper is due to be sentenced separately on Friday 6 June.

Well, that’s all for now. But until our next article, please stay tuned, stay informed, but most of all stay safe, and I’ll see you then.