A man has been convicted of murdering a woman in front of her three-year-old daughter during last year’s family day at the Notting Hill Carnival.

Shakeil Thibou, 20, fatally stabbed Cher Maximen, 32, in the groin while her daughter was nearby on August 25. He was found guilty of murder by a 10 to 2 majority verdict on Wednesday.

Additionally, Thibou was charged with attempted grievous bodily harm against 20-year-old Adjei Isaac, which prosecutor Ed Brown KC described as another “equally horrifying attack,” as well as possessing an offensive weapon.

The defendant’s brother, Sheldon Thibou, 25, was convicted of violent disorder and for assaulting PC Oliver Mort, who intervened during the incident.

A third brother, Shaeim Thibou, 22, was acquitted of violent disorder but found guilty of assaulting PC Mort. The jury took 50 hours and 33 minutes to deliberate, with a shout of “yes” echoing from Maximen’s family as the verdicts were delivered.

At the Old Bailey, it was revealed that a disturbance erupted around 5:48 PM on the day of the carnival between the defendants and at least two other men near where Maximen was located.

As Sheldon Thibou engaged in a physical altercation with the two men, PC Mort attempted to break it up. At that moment, Sheldon was reportedly wielding a stun gun while he and Shaeim struck at the officer.

Shakeil Thibou also lunged at Isaac with a large knife multiple times, narrowly missing him as the victim recoiled. This incident caused Maximen to fall to the ground, and she only partially managed to stand up, as described by Brown.

In court, it was noted that the mother seemed to lift her right leg in defense at Shakeil Thibou, who then aimed the knife directly at her and deliberately stabbed her in the groin, according to the jurors.

Brown remarked, “The injuries inflicted on Ms. Maximen were fatal – the defendant had killed her. It was an utterly shocking attack, perceived as such by those present.”

The defendants, hailing from Kensington in west London, denied the accusations against them, although Sheldon Thibou acknowledged possessing the stun gun. Shakeil Thibou contended he picked up the knife at the carnival and acted in self-defense against Isaac.

He claimed that Maximen’s death was unintentional, yet the prosecution maintained that he brought the knife to the scene and that another blade was found in his residence during a search.

The judge scheduled sentencing for Shakeil Thibou on May 16. Emma Currie from the Crown Prosecution Service described the case as “deeply tragic” and stated the brothers’ actions displayed a blatant disregard for the hundreds of individuals around them.

She expressed hope that the verdicts would provide some measure of justice for the community and emphasized that the thoughts of the CPS remained with Maximen’s family and friends.

Currie noted, “Cher was ensnared in the panicked crowd triggered by the Thibou brothers’ actions, who stripped her of her life and the opportunity to witness her daughter grow up.”