Damani Mauge

Damani Mauge was stabbed on a No 130 bus in Croydon.

A 17-year-old youth was tried for his murder but acquitted, claiming self-defence. He stabbed him with a large hunting knife that he carried about for protection. He was however convicted of being in possession of an offensive weapon.

He stabbed him in the chest during a struggle that started on a number 130 bus in Whitehorse Lane near to Selhurst Park.

It was said that the struggle in all took only 23 seconds, from the moment that Damani Mauge got on the bus to the moment he came off and was stabbed and collapsed on to the ground.

The police were called to the scene at about 8.30pm on Sunday 8 March 2020. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 9.07pm.

The 130 bus ran from South Norwood Hill past the Crystal Palace football club grounds at Selhurst Park and onwards to Thornton Heath.

The court heard that the youth stabbed him and then tried to steal a chain from around his neck as he lay on the ground bleeding. However, it was said that he ran off when a woman with a shopping bag intervened. Another member of the public was also seen in CCTV trying to seize the knife from the youth.

CCTV evidence showed Damani Mauge trying to disarm the youth on the bus before the struggle left the bus and went onto the pavement. Damani Mauge was seen to break free from the youth and to stagger off, but to then collapse.

After stabbing Damani Mauge the youth put down the knife and was alleged to have used both hands to try and take Damani Mauge's chain, however, whilst he was doing that someone took the knife from him and the youth ran off without it or the chain. The youth was said to have returned momentarily to try and find the knife, but it had by then been put somewhere safe and he left without it.

However, the youth was cleared of both murder and manslaughter at a trial at the Old Bailey in September 2020.