Teenager jailed for life over fatal Deptford stabbing of Robert Robinson

A teenager who murdered 21-year-old Robert Robinson in a knife attack in Deptford has been sentenced to life imprisonment following what police described as a relentless and painstaking investigation.

Jackson Uwagboe, 19, of Hamilton Street, Lewisham, was found guilty at the Old Bailey on Tuesday 10 February of murder, robbery and possession of a bladed article. On Wednesday 18 February, he was sentenced to life imprisonment and must serve a minimum term of 21 years before he is eligible for parole.

Two other men – Ryan Wedderburn, 18, of Windlass Place, Lewisham, and Kirk Harris, 19, of Upper Brockley Road, Lewisham – were convicted of Robert’s murder at the Old Bailey in May last year. They were also sentenced to life imprisonment and ordered to serve minimum terms of 23 years and 22 years and nine months respectively.

A fourth man, Eromosele Omoluogbe, 24, of Tanners Hill, Lewisham, was convicted earlier this month of perverting the course of justice after helping Uwagboe flee the country. He will be sentenced at the Old Bailey on a date to be fixed.

Brutal attack after dispute over stolen bike

The court heard that the killing stemmed from a dispute over a stolen bicycle.

At about 22:35hrs on Thursday 6 June 2024, police were called to reports of a stabbing in Carteret Way, Deptford. Officers and the London Ambulance Service attended, but despite their efforts Robert Robinson was pronounced dead at the scene.

He had suffered 12 serious stab wounds, including defensive injuries, indicating he had tried to protect himself from the attack.

Earlier that day, Uwagboe had robbed a 17-year-old boy of his bicycle and phone on Deptford High Street.

Later, Robert was part of a group that went to the home of Uwagboe’s associate, Ryan Wedderburn, in Windlass Place, hoping to recover the bicycle and confront the thief.

When there was no answer at the flat, the group left. Some members of the group then allegedly damaged two cars belonging to the Wedderburn family.

A short time later, Uwagboe left the property with Wedderburn and Harris. All three were armed with machetes.

They walked to nearby Carteret Way, where Robert, one of his friends and the friend’s mother spotted the group and ran away. The mother was on the phone to 999 at the time reporting the earlier robbery.

Robert was chased and overpowered by the group. He was stabbed at least 12 times and, despite the efforts of paramedics, died at the scene. The court rejected Uwagboe’s claims of self-defence.

Met investigation pieced together extensive evidence

Following the murder, all three attackers fled the scene. Detectives from the Met’s homicide command launched an extensive investigation, reviewing hundreds of hours of CCTV footage, analysing phone data from more than a dozen suspects and witnesses, and examining bank records to track the suspects’ movements.

DNA analysis linked a knife recovered after the attack to Kirk Harris. Another knife was later recovered from the River Thames and, while it could not be forensically linked, CCTV evidence connected it to Ryan Wedderburn.

Phone records showed that Omoluogbe was in contact with Uwagboe in the hours after the murder. On Friday 7 June 2024, he bought a £1,129.89 plane ticket to Lagos, Nigeria, for Uwagboe and drove him to Heathrow Airport the following day with his brother.

Uwagboe remained abroad until he returned to the UK on Tuesday 25 February 2025, when he was arrested at Gatwick Airport on suspicion of murder.

‘Justice for Robert and his family’

Detective Inspector Neil Tovey, who led the investigation, said the verdict brought long-awaited justice to Robert’s family.

“Robert was subjected to a brutal and sustained attack by a group of men armed with knives. He was unarmed, already wounded and on the ground when Uwagboe attacked him. His claims of self-defence were entirely without foundation,” he said.

He paid tribute to the Robinson family for their “immense dignity” throughout two trials, noting that Uwagboe’s decision to flee the country had significantly prolonged their search for justice.

DI Tovey also warned that anyone who assists violent offenders would face serious consequences, following Omoluogbe’s conviction for perverting the course of justice.

He added that while homicide levels in London are falling, knife crime remains a profound concern.

“This investigation demonstrates our absolute determination to pursue offenders wherever they go and to hold them accountable for their actions,” he said.