Frenzied Rush Hour Machete Attack at Imperial Wharf Leads to Conviction

A man has been convicted following a violent knife attack during the evening rush hour at a West London railway station, after an investigation led by British Transport Police.

Aidan Watts, 20, of Cremorne Estate in Kensington and Chelsea, pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm ahead of a trial that concluded on 12 March at Inner London Crown Court. Two other men, Jakada Joseph, 22, of Cambridge Gardens in Kensington and Chelsea, and Stefan Kosavac-Godart, 19, of no fixed address, were convicted of affray. All three are due to be sentenced at the same court on 16 April.

The incident unfolded shortly after 5.20pm on 18 June 2025 at Imperial Wharf railway station in Chelsea. Officers and paramedics rushed to the scene after reports of a stabbing and found a 20-year-old man suffering from multiple life-threatening stab wounds to his thigh, abdomen and buttocks. He was taken to hospital where medical staff carried out emergency surgery to stabilise him.

Detectives quickly began piecing together the events leading up to the attack. Witness enquiries revealed the victim had travelled on the same train as the group of suspects, although the carriage was so crowded that they had not seen each other during the journey. After leaving the train, the victim began walking along the platform towards the station exit.

Police say Watts, Joseph and Kosavac-Godart spotted the victim on the platform and ran towards him. The group chased him along the platform, tripping him to the ground before Watts launched a violent knife attack in front of numerous commuters. Witnesses later reported seeing Watts fleeing the scene carrying a machete with a distinctive red blade measuring around 40cm.

Investigators later examined CCTV footage that showed Watts discarding items of clothing in a nearby residential estate after the attack. Officers also located the red-bladed knife close to a set of maintenance units within the estate, where it had been hidden.

The suspects were arrested in the weeks that followed, with Watts detained on 22 June, Joseph on 3 July and Kosavac-Godart on 29 July.

BTP DCI Paul Attwell, Senior Investigating Officer for the case, said:

“What was a normal summer’s evening at a busy West London station very quickly escalated into serious violence. The two parties were on the same train, within feet of each other, and had the group not noticed the victim then the whole incident could have been avoided. As it was, they spotted him and outnumbered him, before Watts launched a spontaneous but targeted frenzied attack on the platform. I’m pleased to see his conviction today. Our detectives worked tirelessly to gather a wealth of witness statements, CCTV footage and forensic evidence. I’d like to thank them and our colleagues from the Metropolitan Police Service and the Crown Prosecution Service for supporting our investigation.”

British Transport Police say violence on the railway network will not be tolerated and are urging anyone who witnesses or experiences an incident to report it by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40. In an emergency, the public should always dial 999.

Image: British Transport Police