A drug addict has been convicted of robbing and murdering a newsagent in Pinner as he sorted the weekend newspapers early in the morning.
Alex Gunn (pictured), 31, from Pinner, entered the shop armed with a knife, his hands and face covered and attacked father-of-two Ravi Katharkamar, who lived in Watford, inside Marsh Food and Wine before making his escape around 6am on Sunday, March 24 this year.
Following a trial at the Old Bailey, today (Tuesday, October 8) Gunn was convicted of murder, four counts of burglary, three counts of theft, one count of robbery and two counts of having an article with a blade.
He previously pleaded guilty to driving whilst disqualified.
Gunn had gone to Marsh Food and Wine twice before, around the same time of the morning, just days before the murder.
He was also driving the black Astra he had stolen from one of the burglaries in the days before the murder.
He continued to use the black Astra after he had killed Mr Katharkamar.
Gunn maintained his crime spree following the murder, burgling two further homes and changing the stolen car’s number plate to another number plate he had stolen to avoid detection.
He was arrested five days after the murder, on March 29, and claimed to have bought the car he was travelling in that morning for £300.
Various items linking Gunn to the offences were found in the car.
Mr Katharkamar suffered two knife wounds to his chest and died at the scene.
Devi Kharran, senior crown prosecutor within the CPS London Homicide team, said: “This was a pattern of offending that escalated in March 2019 which tragically resulted in the death of an innocent family man who was working hard in his newsagent in suburban Pinner.
“Gunn targeted Mr Katharkamar, who was alone and vulnerable inside his shop. The murder was caught on CCTV, and although Gunn used every effort to conceal his identity, the police were able to use reports of local burglaries and various parts of CCTV footage to piece together his movements in the stolen car and eventually trace and arrest him.
“This case has had a real impact on the local community – particularly those who knew Ravi Katharkamar and were regular customers to his shop. I hope today’s conviction provides the family and friends of Mr Katharkamar with some degree of comfort.”
Gunn will be sentenced on Friday, October 11.
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