Outside the Old Bailey, Takieddine ‘Taki’ Boudhane’s family: his aunt Chainez, extended family member Tony Kitous, his mother Saida, sister Chainez, brother Islam and his nephew Taki, who is named after him

A PLUMBER who stabbed a delivery driver to death in a “moment of madness” had been on the road to turning his life around after a series of convictions as a troubled teenager, a court heard.

Nathan Smith, 28, of Marlborough Road, Archway, was sentenced to 21 years at the Old Bailey yesterday (Thursday) for the murder of Takieddine “Taki” Boudhane in Finsbury Park in January 2020.

Smith, who has a young daughter and was described in court as having had a “difficult childhood”, slashed at the Algerian Deliveroo driver four times before he inflicted the fatal knife wound.

Outside the court, Taki’s brother, Islam Boudhane, told the Tribune: “He was a hardworking guy, the head of the family. He was always responsible. That’s why it hit us so much now he’s gone. It’s never like before.

“He was a hardworking man and a nice person who would wake up in the morning planning to go to work – not to hurt people.”

The court heard how Mr Boudhane, 30, and Smith were both driving down Stroud Green Road before turning into Lennox Road when an argument broke out over Smith’s driving. He had been chatting to a woman he was going to see that evening and may have been distracted, the court heard.

Moments later Smith was brandishing a knife.

Mr Boudhane, who planned to buy a house and live with his parents in Algeria and was working hard to realise that dream, defended himself with his bike helmet. The court heard how both men had been walking back to their vehicles – the fight seemingly over – when Smith suddenly turned and ran back to Mr Boudhane and fatally stabbed him while he had his back turned.

Takieddine ‘Taki’ Boudhane

Smith immediately returned to his van, drove home and fled to Austria the following morning on his brother’s passport. Investigating police officer Detective Chief Inspector Neil John expressed incredulity that he was able to then go on the run for 17 months as an international manhunt was underway, as well as Covid restrictions. Ultimately, Smith turned himself in.
Reading out their victim impact statement outside the Old Bailey after the sentencing, Mr Bhoudane’s family said Smith’s “pure anger” on that fateful day “had killed the whole family”.

His mother, Saida Boudhane, revealed how Taki’s father had died “before he could see justice passed on our son’s murderer” and called out the police over a “protracted investigation”.

In her statement, which was read in court, she added: “Because of your actions my son will no longer live with me and he wasn’t here to comfort me through the death of his father. Our family will always have a missing piece. His brother, sisters and his family can only exist without Taki in our lives.”

Smith’s refusal to admit his guilt led to Mr Boudhane’s family being forced to watch CCTV of the incident frame by frame throughout the duration of the court hearing as his trial played out, his mother said.

Nathan Smith

She added: “Even [during the trial] he claimed he felt like he was the victim and showed no remorse towards my family. Not once did he say he was sorry for what he had done, only that he suffered PTSD whilst on the run: on the run because of his own actions, on the run for murdering my child.”

In his defence, the court was told Smith had written a “long and extremely heartfelt” letter to the judge, expressing remorse for his actions, while his lawyer described a “difficult” childhood that saw him rack up four prison sentences before the age of 24 including four years’ incarceration aged just 19 for weapons and drug dealing offences.

By the time he committed the murder at 26, he had already been sentenced to seven and a half years of his adult life behind bars.

DCI John said: “It is heartbreaking to see and hear the pain that this senseless murder has caused those who loved Taki. They have shown great strength in coming to court every day during what has undoubtedly been the most painful time of their lives.

“Smith is clearly an extremely dangerous individual and we are pleased he is now off our streets, unable to cause further harm.”

Recorder of London His Honour Judge Mark Lucraft QC said: “No sentence I pass can ever equate to or replace a life lost – another life lost to a death through the use of a knife on the streets in London.”