Joseph Martelli.
She may or may not have rejected him because he’s black.
The stabbing part though – that’s definitely because he’s black.
CPS:
A shopworker who repeatedly stabbed a woman because she rejected his advances has been found guilty of attempted murder.
Joseph Martelli, 23, attacked the woman inside his Holloway flat on 6 April after she stepped away when he tried to kiss her. He said: “Is it because I am black?” He then pushed her to the ground and overpowered her, putting his hands around her throat, and strangling her, before stabbing the 23-year-old multiple times with a knife.
Father-of-two Martelli was convicted of attempted murder following a trial at Wood Green Crown Court, which concluded today [Tuesday, 8 October].
The victim had been friends with Iceland worker Martelli before the incident and had spent the evening chatting with him at his home before he attacked her. His children were sleeping at the address at the time.
The victim managed to escape, and called the police before she was rushed by ambulance to a major trauma centre. She had suffered four stab wounds to her abdomen and three stab wounds to her neck.
As a result of the information the victim provided the police, officers were able to locate Martelli’s home, where he was pretending to be asleep next to his toddler. Once inside police were able to see blood smeared on the kitchen floor as if a clean-up had been attempted, and blood on Martelli’s upper body, which he claimed came from his dogs. The washing machine was also turned on.