Dino Donaldson, 22, has been jailed for a minimum of 23 years after stabbing 21-year-old student Anojan Gnaneswaran at Strawberry Hill statin
A remorseless killer who laughed with his friends on a bus moments after stabbing a 21-year-old man to death has been jailed for life. Dino Donaldson, 22, and of Caxton Road, Ealing, was found guilty of murdering Anojan Gnaneswaran on April 14 following an Old Bailey trial.
He returned to the same court on November 6 where he was sentenced to a minimum of 23 years in prison. On the evening of January 8, 2024 two groups of young men arranged a deal of £50 for 10 MDMA tablets to be exchanged at Strawberry Hill station.
Donaldson and three others arrived first just after 10pm, followed by 21-year-old Anojan Gnaneswaran around an hour later. There was a disagreement between both groups, leading to Anojan calling his brother who then attended with two others.
The argument became more heated on the station platform before Donaldson became increasingly aggressive and pulled a long knife out of his waistband. He chased the group and caught up with Anojan on the railway tracks where he stabbed him in the chest, abdomen and thigh.
Anojan’s brother dialled 999 and tried CPR before paramedics arrived to take over. Despite their efforts, Anojan was injured so badly that he died at the scene.
British Transport Police launched an urgent investigation and was able to track Donaldson’s movements after the attack using CCTV as he fled through Twickenham to Kingston Upon Thames. He then boarded an N87 bus as its on-board camera captured him laughing and smiling less than an hour after Anojan was pronounced dead.
While Donaldson made his doomed getaway, detectives at the scene found the knife and a black glove in a tree at the murder scene. Three days later officers turned up to arrest Donaldson at his home in Ealing, where he was found cowering inside a cupboard.
BTP’s search team found the knife and a black glove in a tree at the murder scene.
An arrest warrant was executed at Donaldson’s home address on 11 January 2024 where he was found hiding inside a cupboard.
BTP Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell said: “What started as an argument over a drug deal ended in a young man’s future being stolen from him by a remorseless criminal. Donaldson showed his true colours as a coward by arming himself with a knife that night. His cowardice has continued by never accepting responsibility and admitting his crime – thankfully the jury saw through his lies.
“He will live the rest of his life knowing he has taken someone else’s, and he deserves every minute of his 23-year minimum sentence. Anojan’s family have been left with an unfillable void in their lives after their talented son and brother was taken from them in the most brutal circumstances imaginable.
“I want to pay tribute to them all, for the strength, dignity and patience they’ve shown throughout this case.”
Anojan’s family previously paid tribute to their “much-loved son and brother”. They said: “Anojan was in his third year at university studying accounting and finance, and he was so excited for his future.
“He excelled at all sports and had achieved first-dan black belt in karate – he competed in the World and European championships in karate, and we will all miss him so much.”
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