Store boss killer was on bail over knife death

Anthony Maina, 20, took part in the deadly raid at a Matalan store five months after knifing 17-year-old Rizwan Darbar during a mobile phone robbery.

But the full extent of his violent criminal history, starting at the age of 14, was kept from the jury in the Simpson case.

Maina had been arrested shortly after Rizwan's murder in October 2007 but given police bail due to lack of evidence.

He was at large for 15 months, during which time he took part in the killing of Mr Simpson as well as being caught with a knife, cannabis, crack cocaine and heroin, before finally being charged in January last year over the earlier death.

Seven months later he was jailed for life with a minimum term of 14 years after being convicted of Rizwan's murder by an Old Bailey jury.

But his name could not be reported as by then he was facing a second trial over the death of Mr Simpson at the Matalan store in Hackney, east London.

The popular shop manager, 33, was stabbed in the neck with a 10in kitchen knife by teenager Kobina Essel – known as "Aggro" – during the botched raid.

Essel, along with Maina and Randy Osei-Owusu, had been lying in wait for the manager to cash up in March 2008.

On Monday Essel, 19, was convicted of murder while Maina and Osei-Owusu, 17, as well as Simeon Jumah, 25, were found guilty of manslaughter. All four came from east London.

Jurors had been unable to agree on a murder charge against Maina, Jumah and Osei-Owusu. It was only yesterday, after prosecutors decided not to press for a retrial on that count, that the full extent of Maina's violent past could be revealed.

The four killers and three others convicted of conspiracy to rob were remanded in custody and will be sentenced next month.