A 24-year-old Nigerian national, Chukwuemeka Ahanonu, has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Nila Patel, a 56-year-old woman, in Leicester.

Ahanonu was found guilty by a jury at Leicester Crown Court on Monday and sentenced the following day. The fatal attack occurred on June 24, 2025, along Infirmary Road.

According to Leicestershire Police, the incident followed a series of dangerous driving offences committed by Ahanonu while under the influence of cannabis. He reportedly swerved across lanes, ran red lights, and drove towards pedestrians before crashing his vehicle in the city centre.

After the crash, Ahanonu fled the scene and attacked Patel, who had just alighted from a bus and was walking home. She sustained severe injuries, including a fractured skull and significant brain trauma, and died two days later.

Police said that upon his arrest, officers recovered cannabis, dealer bags valued at more than £3,000, and three mobile phones from his vehicle. Ahanonu had earlier pleaded guilty to charges including dangerous driving, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, and assaulting an emergency worker after biting a female police officer.

Security staff from Leicester Royal Infirmary restrained the suspect until officers arrived, while medical personnel made efforts to save Patel’s life. He was subsequently re-arrested on suspicion of murder on June 26, 2025.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Inspector Emma Matts, described the incident as “a horrific, violent and random attack” on an innocent member of the public, noting that the victim and the suspect were not known to each other. She also praised members of the public for their swift intervention and assistance to both the victim and responding officers.