Derek Thomas would have celebrated his 56th birthday this week. However, rather than a festive event, his family gathered for a poignant remembrance in his honor.

The cherished grandfather and bus driver was tragically murdered last July.

On his way home from a late shift in Stoke Newington, north-east London, he was attacked and repeatedly stabbed.

The perpetrator was Kamar Williams, the former boyfriend of Mr. Thomas’s daughter, Carron.

At 34 years old, Williams has now been sentenced to life imprisonment, with a minimum of 29 years to serve.

During the sentencing, Judge Angela Rafferty KC remarked that Williams, who had a record of 13 prior convictions, had been “seething with anger” following a dispute with his ex-partner; she noted that Mr. Thomas had been unarmed and utterly vulnerable.

She stated, “You are solely accountable for this murder. This was a ruthless and deliberate assault.

“You took his life even though at one point, you regarded him as a father figure.

“You understood that by attacking him, you would inflict pain on many.”

In a victim impact statement, Carron expressed that she grapples daily with “overwhelming guilt.”

“I once held love and trust for this individual. I welcomed him into my life and my family’s home, never imagining he could act in such a heartless and brutal manner.”

Mr. Thomas’s sister recounted her feelings in a victim impact statement, sharing that her brother had been “cruelly and brutally taken away.”

“I will never again hear his voice say, ‘I love you, sis.'”

The judge remarked that she had “made her brother proud.”

Ms. Thomas characterized her brother as “a compassionate, devoted family man who took his parenting responsibilities very seriously.”

She highlighted her close bond with Derek, the youngest of 19 siblings, an ardent Arsenal supporter, and a dedicated bus driver for Go-Ahead London.

“He found joy in serving others, particularly the elderly and disabled, and women boarding the bus with strollers. His commitment never wavered, even during the COVID pandemic.”

She mentioned that several of his colleagues paid tribute to him on Wednesday, commemorating what would have been his birthday.

The Old Bailey learned that on the evening of July 30, Carron received threatening messages from Williams, one stating, “watch this space.”

She reached out to the police twice before her father was attacked, but by the time officers arrived, Williams had fled.

After the assault, he attempted to evade capture but was eventually apprehended at the Notting Hill Carnival.

Williams, from the Isle of Dogs in east London, claimed he acted in self-defense when Mr. Thomas allegedly brandished a knife. However, the jury dismissed his assertion, finding him guilty of murder and guilty of possessing a bladed object by an 11-to-one vote.

“He spun a web of deceit,” Ms. Thomas remarked.

“He was manipulative and often cruel to my niece.”

“My family is filled with anger towards him. We’ve gone through the trial, but we still lack answers.

“It’s disheartening to think that my brother’s life was taken away, and for what reason?”

She revealed that she struggles to sleep well in the aftermath of her brother’s death.

“I sometimes experience nightmares, pondering what might have happened had I been there. Could I have prevented it?”

The Thomas family aspires for Derek to be remembered for his commitment to the community, noting that despite health issues preventing him from playing football, he continued to coach young people in Stoke Newington.

“I think society has deteriorated,” Ms. Thomas reflected.

“We’re not fostering the community spirit that should nurture children; people are left to fend for themselves. Yet, there are individuals, like my brother and myself, who genuinely care for the younger generation and wish the best for them.

“If we could foster that as siblings, we could achieve it as a community.

“He was an extraordinary individual, and I miss him dearly.

“Life will never be the same again.”