A man has been convicted of manslaughter after delivering a fatal punch to a fellow passenger at a London Underground station last summer.
Rakeem Miles, 23, of East Street, Southwark, was found guilty at Inner London Crown Court on Thursday, March 21, following a British Transport Police investigation into the death of 28-year-old Samuel Winter.
Tragic Encounter at Tube Station
The incident occurred on August 22, 2024, as Samuel arrived at a station in south east London around 9.30pm after travelling on the eastbound Jubilee line. Miles had been on the same train in a different carriage, and the two had not interacted prior to the fatal encounter.
As Samuel made his way up the escalator, he is believed to have brushed past Miles. Enraged, Miles shouted after Samuel, chased him through the ticket barriers, and caught up with him at the station exit. There, he grabbed Samuel from behind, tore his shirt, and delivered a single punch to the head—causing him to collapse on the stairs.
Emergency services rushed to the scene and began CPR. Samuel was transported to hospital with a critical brain injury and tragically died the next day, surrounded by his family.
Investigation Leads to Swift Arrest
British Transport Police quickly launched an investigation, using CCTV and travel data to identify the suspect. Detectives traced Miles using the same card he had used to top up his Oyster card at a nearby shop the day before the incident.
Officers located and arrested him just outside the shop on the morning of August 23, initially on suspicion of Grievous Bodily Harm. Following Samuel’s death, the charge was upgraded.
Family’s Devastation and Forgiveness
Samuel’s family issued a heartfelt statement following the conviction:
“We have lost our gentle, hugely compassionate, funny, intelligent and hard-working son Sam because of this entirely unprovoked and horrific assault.
We would do anything and give everything to have Sam back with us. But he’s gone for the rest of our lives. The pain of his loss is almost unbearable.”
They added that while the verdict brought some resolution, it was “not a pleasure” and extended their forgiveness to Miles.
Police Condemn Violence
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell said:
“This was a truly tragic incident where one person’s actions and one punch has changed the lives of Samuel’s family forever. Samuel’s family described him as gentle and kind, and he will be sorely missed.”
He continued:
“It only took one punch from Miles to end Samuel’s life. He showed no remorse, leaving the scene and continuing with his evening. This case is a stark reminder of how quickly violence can destroy lives.”
Sentencing
Miles is due to be sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on May 8.
British Transport Police reiterated their zero-tolerance stance on violence across the transport network and praised the swift investigative work that led to Miles’ conviction.
