On-the-run criminal who was caught in Co Down after fatal stabbing is jailed for life

Oluwatomiwa ‘Tomi’ Olatuyi (21) of Stanton Avenue, Milton Keynes, was convicted of murdering Joseph Tayaye in Milton Keynes in March of this year.

He has now been sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 25 years following the hearing at Luton Crown Court.

Police had received reports of a stabbing outside a property in The Hide, Netherfield, at around 11.35pm on March 28.

Officers who rushed to the scene found Joseph (21) from Milton Keynes had sustained a number of stab wounds.

Emergency services treated Joseph at the scene before taking him to Milton Keynes University Hospital where he died the following morning.

Officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland then arrested Olatuyi on the A1 near Loughbrickland, Co Down, Northern Ireland, on April 1.

He was charged on 4 April and found guilty of one count each of murder, affray, possession of a bladed article in a public place and perverting the course of justice by unanimous jury verdict on October 18 following a trial at Luton Crown Court.

The jury also found Olatuyi guilty of one count of affray and at the conclusion of the trial, Olatuyi pleaded guilty to an offence of possession of a bladed article.

These two offences were in relation to a separate incident in Milton Keynes on 26 March which involved an altercation between Joseph Tayaye and Olatuyi.

Senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Will Crowther, of Thames Valley Police’s Major Crime Unit, said: “Yesterday, Oluwatomiwa ‘Tomi’ Olatuyi was held accountable and sentenced for the death of Joseph Tayaye, which occurred in March this year.

“This sentence will not bring Joseph back and will not fill the void that his death has left but I hope that his family and friends are at least able to feel that justice has been served, and that Olatuyi has been held to account for his horrendous actions.

“As ever, we are committed to bringing such offenders to justice and will tirelessly and robustly pursue those who seek to cause such harm in our society.”