Knife-attacking pair jailed after Met officers find suspect hiding under bed

A woman who was found by Met officers hiding under a bed following a 48-hour manhunt linked to a brutal stabbing in north London, has been jailed alongside her accomplice.

Leah Campbell-Knechtel, 28, (08.09.97) of no fixed address and Jawad Naser, 47, (01.05.79) of Cambridge Gardens, Muswell Hill, were each sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment at the Old Bailey on Friday, 14 August, after being convicted of grievous bodily harm.

Body-worn video showed officers armed with tasers entering a Muswell Hill address at 12:36hrs on Tuesday, 20 January, as part of an intensive manhunt for Campbell-Knechtel. Officers entered a bedroom and lifted a mattress, revealing her hiding beneath the bedframe.

Campbell-Knechtel's arrest brought to an end a swift investigation that began on Sunday, 18 January, after officers were called to a flat at 19:03hrs in Islington where Naser had stabbed a 66-year-old man multiple times.

Detectives rapidly identified Naser and Campbell-Knechtel as suspects through witness evidence, CCTV enquiries, doorbell footage and other intelligence gathering. Naser was arrested at his Muswell Hill home within four hours of the attack, where officers recovered blood-stained trainers that went on to form part of the evidence presented at trial.

Using intelligence, officers tracked Campbell-Knechtel down and arrested her less than 48 hours after the attack.

Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Alger, of the Met's Central North Criminal Investigation Department, said:

“Campbell-Knechtel thought she could avoid justice by hiding under a bed, but our officers were right on her trail.

“This was a savage knife attack by Naser that left the victim with life-changing injuries.

“Less than 48 hours after the attack, officers had pieced together the evidence, tracked down the suspects, and put them in custody. Now they're exactly where they belong – behind bars.

“Campbell-Knechtel may not have wielded the knife herself, but she lured the victim into a false sense of security and made the attack possible. The sentences recognise that her role was every bit as serious.”

The Met is relentlessly focused on reducing serious violence and keeping communities safe. Across London, knife-enabled crime fell by 14.9 per cent in 2025/26 compared with the previous year, including a 21 per cent reduction in knife-enabled robbery and an 8.4 per cent reduction in offences where a knife was used to cause injury.

The attack was sparked by a dispute over money. The victim had given Campbell-Knechtel thousands of pounds during an apparent relationship and, on the day of the attack, handed over more cash after she asked for financial help. When he later demanded the money back, an argument broke out.

That evening, Campbell-Knechtel went to the victim’s flat claiming she wanted to make peace. Moments later, she opened the door and allowed Naser to enter, passing him a kitchen knife she took from the victim’s kitchen. Naser then stabbed the victim multiple times, leaving him with life-threatening injuries that required emergency surgery.

NOTES TO EDITOR:

Body-worn footage of the arrests and custody images can be found here: https://mps.box.com/s/0iav5o74nwcgn3pcv302ly9wpefe3076

** Naser and Campbell-Knechtel were both charged with attempted murder. The trial had two offences on the indictment: attempted murder and S18 GBH (intent). The jury found them not guilty of attempted murder, but guilty of S18 GBH.