Cher Maximen's Murderer Will Spend 29 Years in Jail
Family says ‘no sentence long enough’ for killer from Brook Green
Cher Maximen died trying to protect her daughter
May 17, 2025
A 20-year-old man from Brook Green has been jailed for a minimum of 29 years after being found guilty of the murder of Cher Maximen at the Notting Hill Carnival last year.
Shakeil Thibou of Masbro Road was found guilty of stabbing the innocent bystander, who was trying to protect her young daughter, last month and on Friday,16 May received his sentence at the Old Bailey.
The term will include the time he has served on remand since his arrest. He was also convicted of attempted GBH with intent and possession of an offensive weapon.
When handing out the sentence, Judge Philip Katz KC said, “That child witnessed her mother being murdered in front of her. It is not possible to overstate the impact of Cher Maximen’s on those many people who knew and loved her.”
Ms Maximen's family said outside the court that "justice had been served" but that "no sentence is long enough" for the crime.
TJ Jacobs, who is Cher’s daughter’s Godmother, said, "We hope that it acts as a deterrent to people that choose to come along to any occasion or any event and act so recklessly and without thought in situations that can lead to just such catastrophic events."
On Sunday, 25 August 2024, Thibou became involved in an altercation near the Carnival parade route close to Golborne Road at around 6pm. 32-year-old Cher, who had no association with any of those involved in the fight, had previously spoken to police officers to raise concern about the tense atmosphere in the area. She was standing nearby with her 3-year-old daughter and some friends when they got caught up in the fracas and she was knocked to the ground.
Thibou, who had come to the Carnival armed with a large ‘zombie’ knife, stabbed her in the groin as she attempted to get up. She died in hospital three days later.
Her murderer fled the scene with his two brothers. CCTV showed him calmly changing clothes and walking away from the area. His brothers were identified by facial recognition technology which led the police to the killer. He was found two days later sleeping on the floor of a hideout along with the distinctive bag he had brought to the Carnival. DNA testing of the jacket he discarded after the murder proved beyond any doubt that he had stabbed her.
Shakeil Thibou (centre) after being found in his hideout. Picture: Met Police
His brothers were also convicted of assaulting an emergency worker for an assault on a police officer who tried to break up the fight. Shaeim Thibou was sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for 18 months and his brother Sheldon will be sentenced at a later date.
Body worn camera footage shows Shakeil Thibou poised to stab with a large knife. Picture: Met Police
Cher’s daughter will now be brought up by her great-grandmother and a ‘village of aunties, uncles, and Godparents’.
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