A suspect in the killing of a teenage boy was able to flee the country when police officers failed to alert border and immigration control of his identity.
Ilyas Habibi was attacked just minutes after leaving Sutton train station on 5 December last year, suffering a fatal knife wound to the neck while he was travelling home from college.
However, the prime suspect in the murder was able to leave the UK via Gatwick Airport four days later, with Mr Habibi’s family told that there had been an “error with the computers” which had allowed him to escape.
The man is believed to have fled to a country in the Middle East and has not been named at request of the Met Police.
In an even more sinister twist, the family say the alleged killer has recently made contact with Ilyas’ older brother, joking about how he left the 17-year-old “choking” on his own blood.
Speaking to The Independent, his brother Mr Habibi said: “I’m only trying to think about who killed my brother. The police don’t even get in contact, someone was murdered and they don’t care.
“We want to know what steps they’re taking but they don’t tell us, I’m honestly shocked. How could he escape after four days? He murdered my brother outside a train station and next to a police station.
“They told us there had been an error with the computers and that’s why border and immigration weren’t told. They knew who it was two days before he fled the country – they went to his house but he had already gone.”
Met Police refused to respond to claims the suspect was able to flee the country due to a computer error.
A 19-year-old man was arrested in December on suspicion of assisting an offender but was released on bail, with Mr Habibi claiming that his family had been provided with no update on the investigation into this individual.
Emergency services had been called to Sutton High Street shortly after 7pm last December, after Ilyas was found with severe injuries.
An investigation found that he had been “involved in an altercation” with the suspect who quickly fled the scene, with Ilyas pronounced dead a short while later.
Speaking of the horrific moment he discovered his younger brother had died, Mr Habibi said: “I was at work and my father called me at 9.30pm and said Ilyas isn’t home. He was never late, the only day he was ever late was the day of his death.”
He urged his parents to wait another hour before contacting the police, reassuring them that Ilyas was likely with friends. However, just 10 minutes later Mr Habibi received a notification from his ring doorbell camera, which showed two police officers outside his family home.
“The officers were ridiculous,” he said. “They asked if my parents were related to Ilyas and then just said ‘Ilyas has been stabbed and he’s dead’. No filters, no sensitivity.”
As a result of the ongoing trauma of losing Ilyas and the lack of progress in the investigation, Mr Habibi said he is now suffering with mental health issues while his mother has PTSD.
His confusion and devastation has only been compounded after being contacted on Snapchat by the alleged killer.
In disturbing text messages seen by The Independent, the individual mocked his blood loss and sent laughing emojis about Ilyas’ knife wounds.
“I’ve shared them with the police but they don’t tell me what’s going on,” Mr Habibi said. “I couldn’t reply, I was just shocked. How can someone kill someone and speak so freely and laugh about it?”.
While they have been informed by the Met Police that the killer appeared to be waiting for Ilyas in Sutton, they still have “no idea” why the Arsenal-loving teenager was targeted.
“He was a great person, he was a lovely person, always focusing on football and he was studying construction at college,” he said.
“One day, he just disappeared. He woke up to go to college and never came home, it’s shocking. I still don’t accept that Ilyas is dead and I never will do.”
A Met Police spokesperson said: “Our thoughts remain with Ilyas’ family at what we know is an extremely difficult time.
“The investigation into his murder remains open and we continue to work with international partners to locate and arrest the suspect, who we know travelled abroad on 9 December.
“A dedicated family liaison officer is in regular contact with the family to offer support and provide investigative updates.”