A man who stabbed a chef to death over a mobile phone and bottle of beer has been convicted.

Adam Tarik, 25, of Pacific House, Vale Road, has been found guilty of murder today (February 12) after an eight-day trial at the Old Bailey.

He is due to be sentenced tomorrow (February 13) at the same court.

The court heard that Tarik attacked Baris Kucuk, 33, after he spotted him on Seven Sisters Road on June 1 at around 2.30am.

Baris, who lived in Finsbury Park and worked as a chef, was on a night out with his friends and was returning home when he stopped at an off licence near Manor House station to buy some beer.

He bumped into a young Italian woman and they walked together along Seven Sisters Road, using a translation app to communicate with each other.

Tarik, who followed the pair on his bicycle, was scouting for people to rob at the time.

The woman stated in court she became aware of a man on a bike getting closer, and that his presence made her feel anxious and frightened.

Baris walked the woman to her home and they embraced shortly before she went inside.

Seconds later, the woman heard screaming and saw Baris on the floor with Tarik standing over him.

He fled the scene towards Seven Sisters station, leaving Baris bleeding on the pavement.

Baris was rushed to an east London hospital after police and emergency services attended.

Enfield Independent:

Baris Kucuk was stabbed to death. (Photo: Met Police)

He suffered a horrific knife injury to his leg, where the blade had sliced through the knee joint from the back, cutting more than half-way through the thickness of the entire joint.

Doctors worked tirelessly to save Baris’s life and decided to amputate his left leg from the knee down.

However, his condition deteriorated and he died on June 3 at 4pm.

A post-mortem examination at Haringey Mortuary on June 6 found the cause of death to be multiple organ failure, hypovolemic shock and the wound to the left lower leg.

Detectives from the Specialist Crime Command had begun an investigation and identified Tarik as a suspect.

On June 8 at around 7.20pm, Tarik was stopped leaving his home and was arrested on suspicion of murder and taken into custody and was further arrested for a number of unrelated matters.

He was later identified through CCTV and forensic evidence and charged with murder.

Detective Chief Inspector Neil John, who led the investigation, said: “The murder of Baris Kucuk is among the most needless and upsetting cases I have investigated during my many years as a police officer.

“Here we have an incident involving two men on completely different paths in life; Baris, who worked hard, had a loving family and friends and was a completely innocent party – and at the other end Adam Tarik, who is a wicked individual, entirely prepared to rob and steal, using such violence as he deems necessary to get what he wants.

“In this instance, it was just a mobile phone and a bottle of beer.

“Tarik has shown no remorse during the entirety of these proceedings. He is a calculated and callous man, who from the very start was prepared to attempt to obstruct and frustrate police by claiming he was homeless, despite police quickly identifying his address not far from the scene of this murder.”

In a statement, the family of Baris said: “On 1 June 2019 our dearly beloved son Baris Kucuk was taken from us, forever, near his home where he grew up in north London.

“On that day we received a call which changed all of our lives forever. We were all plunged into an atmosphere of profound fear and anxiety.

“A blanket of darkness has taken over our everyday lives. It feels as if we too are now covered in the same soil that covers our Baris in his grave.

“His name is Baris; it means ‘peace’ in Turkish. He has always lived by and up to his name; he showed his love selflessly; he was hard-working and generous; he never hesitated when people were in need even if they were strangers; he was humble, kind and selfless.

"Baris was a loving son, a loving brother and uncle, a friend and a beautiful human.

“The impact of Baris’s death went beyond our family. The Kurdish community and our friends and family in the UK are horrified and devastated. Thousands of people streamed into the hospital and Kurdish Community Centre in Haringey, to pay their respects and comfort our family.

“Adam Tarik has been ice-cold and callous showing no regard nor remorse for what this meant for us as a family, despite seeing that we were in obvious pain and desperate for answers. At the main trial, we watched CCTV footage over and over again, we saw him go out on the streets of London with clear intention to rob and attack wielding a large knife.

“We know if he was given a chance Baris would have not resisted, and he would have given whatever valuables he had, especially if someone with a knife was threatening him. The heartless criminal was clearly out to kill and rob, that was his only intention.

“We, Baris’s family do not want another family to go through the pain we have gone through. Enough is enough. It is now time to take decisive action to halt knife crime and make our streets safer for our children and for everyone.”