Fulham Man Admits Killing ‘Friend’ on a Bus
Motive for the murder of Archie Sheppard remains unclear
A Fulham man has pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to the murder of a man he stabbed to death while he was sleeping on a bus.
39-year-old John Doherty, of Clem Attlee Court, launched a sustained and unprovoked attack on 48-year-old Archie Sheppard from Neasden on Thursday, 27 April last year.
Archie Sheppard
He also pleaded guilty to three counts of possession of an offensive weapon one of which he accepts was used to commit the murder. Doherty will be sentenced at the same court on Friday, 9 March.
The court heard how Doherty had met up with Archie on the day of the murder. He claimed he knew Mr Sheppard and that they drank together on occasions but this claim was never substantiated. They met up in Willesden and spent the day riding buses before finally boarding a route 189 bus at Brent Cross at around 11.15pm and headed back into Central London.
John Doherty
Both men went to the top deck of the bus and Doherty sat at the back while Mr Sheppard fell asleep in a seat a few rows in front. As the empty bus pulled away from a bus stand in Park Lane on its return journey, Doherty got up from his seat and moved directly behind Archie who was still sleeping. At around midnight Doherty produced a knife and launched an attack. Mr Sheppard woke up and attempted to fend off Doherty but the attack continued over the next three minutes. During this time, Doherty inflicted a large stab wound to Archie's leg along with several other injuries. Doherty then fled, boarding a second bus to leave the scene.
Shortly after, a passenger boarding near Marylebone went to the top deck and found Archie slumped in his seat, critically injured but, despite the efforts of paramedics, he was pronounced dead at the scene. A post mortem revealed he had died from blood loss as a result of damage to the femoral artery in his left leg.
Detectives from the Homicide and Major Crime Command launched an investigation and Doherty was quickly identified from CCTV taken from the bus. This showed him and Mr Sheppard boarding the bus together at Brent Cross.
Doherty was arrested in Fulham on the evening of 29 April and was found in possession of two knives. He was also in possession of the Oyster Card he had used when boarding buses before and after the murder.
During interview, Doherty initially admitted to being with Mr Sheppard on the day of the murder but was unable to recall the events of the evening after suffering memory loss. When given a further opportunity to explain what had happened, Doherty refused to answer any questions.
Detective Inspector Simon Deefholts of the Homicide and Major Crime Command led the investigation. He said, "The motive for Archie Sheppard’s murder remains unclear. Only John Doherty can say why he chose to murder Archie in such a cowardly and brutal manner while Archie was defenceless, asleep on a bus.
"The overwhelming evidence gathered by my team left Doherty with no option other than to admit his guilt in court.
“Doherty is a dangerous man who routinely chose to arm himself with knives. He was found in possession of two further knives when officers arrested him a day after Archie’s murder.
"The public should be reassured that we will do everything within our powers to apprehend those carrying or using knives."
March 6, 2018