Two Found Guilty of Brutal Murder of Dagenham Man

Two men have been found guilty of murdering 23-year-old Haseeb Bhatti in Dagenham, after detectives painstakingly reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV to track them down.

A jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Wednesday, 29 October, found Frankie Burletson, 25, of Arden Crescent, Dagenham, and Swayf Amana, 27, of Brittain Road, Dagenham, guilty of murder and causing grievous bodily harm with intent to another man.

Haiden Khalik-Noor, 19, of Bentry Road, Dagenham, was found not guilty of the same charges.

The attack took place in the early hours of Saturday, 20 April 2024, when Haseeb and friends were confronted by a group of five men armed with knives who arrived in a Mercedes in Rothwell Gardens.

Police were called by the London Ambulance Service at around 1.30am to reports of a stabbing. A 50-year-old man was found injured and later discharged from hospital. Shortly after, officers discovered Haseeb nearby in Flamstead Road—he had also been stabbed and tragically died at the scene despite the efforts of emergency services.

In a heartfelt statement, Haseeb’s family said:

“Our son was our world, and losing Haseeb has broken us completely. The pain is with us every moment of every day.
Those responsible have shown no remorse for what they have done to our family. We’re praying that justice will be served for our beautiful boy.”

A major Met Police investigation followed, with officers analysing CCTV, phone records and vehicle data to link the suspects to the scene. Detectives later uncovered evidence of pre-planning, including the purchase of balaclavas and gloves before the attack.

Detective Chief Inspector Lucy Carberry, who led the investigation, said:

“Firstly, my thoughts remain with the family of Haseeb, who despite losing a much-loved member of their family in the most horrific of circumstances, have remained dignified throughout the investigation and trial.
Their lives will never be the same following the actions of Burletson, Amana and others, whose sole purpose that evening was to cause harm to the victim group in a coordinated, vicious attack.
These two men will now face the consequences of their actions. I hope that this will bring some peace to Haseeb’s family, and also to the second man stabbed in this attack.”

Police arrested Burletson on 24 April and charged him two days later. Amana was arrested on 27 May and charged the next day.

Both men will be sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Friday, 31 October.

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