Knifeman Slashed Grenfell Tower Schoolboy Before Tragic Fire

A knifeman, whose “horrific” attack on a 14 year-old schoolboy resident of Grenfell Tower resulted in the family being rehoused before the tragic fire, has been caged today.

The family lived on the first-floor of the North Kensington tower block and the teen needed 30 stitches to his face after being slashed outside his front door.

Lyndon Lewis, 29, of Wordsworth Street, Liverpool has never explained why he was in the capital or why he attacked the boy at 7.45am on September 23, last year.

The boy's father tried to save him and received a stab wound to the arm, but his intervention resulted in crucial DNA evidence that identified Lewis.

He was convicted at Isleworth Crown Court of wounding the boy, with intent, and received 13 years imprisonment.

Lewis was cleared of causing actual bodily harm to the father.

During the four-day trial the court heard the boy was approached by Lewis as he left the flat and was subject to the unprovoked attack.

He was slashed across the face and also suffered wounds to his hands as he desperately tried to defend himself.

The teenage is now permanently scarred as a result of the slashing.

His father rushed outside when he heard his son's shouts and chased Lewis along Grenfell's mezzanine level in a bid to catch him.

He says Lewis stabbed him in the arm and escaped, but the jury cleared the defendant of this charge.

Fortunately police obtained blood samples from the lanyard top the father was wearing and from the wall, which matched Lewis's DNA.

He was arrested in Liverpool on November 2 by detectives from Kensington and Chelsea, but refused to answer questions.

During his trial Lewis denied involvement, refusing to say why he was at Grenfell Tower at the time.

The trial judge described the attack as “horrific”, adding it has had a terrible effect on the victim and his family.

Detective Constable Flynn from Kensington and Chelsea CID said: "Lewis has caused his victims great distress and the sentence of thirteen years reflects the seriousness of the unprovoked attack on a fourteen year-old schoolboy.

“He is a danger to the public and showed no remorse for his crime, denying his involvement to the very end.”

In conjunction with the police and due to this incident, the family were rehoused and were not at Grenfell Tower at the time of the fire on June 14, this year.