Kamar Williams, 34, is said to have decided the dad was an “easier target” following an evening spent searching for the former partner to whom he had sent “threatening and abusive” messages.
Kamar was arrested at Notting Hill Carnival last year, a month after he allegedly attacked Derek Thomas, 55, in Hackney, at about 11pm on July 30.
The defendant, from the Isle of Dogs, east London, is said to have gone on the run following the “frenzied attack”.
He allegedly evaded the police in early August by abandoning a BMW he had hired after it was involved in a “serious collision” in a police chase.
Prosecutor Anthony Orchard KC told the Old Bailey: “It appears he had been looking for the victim’s daughter, Carron Thomas, that evening.
“She was his former partner. He failed to find her. They had recently broken up.
“Earlier that evening she had received some threatening and abusive text messages from him.”
Mr Orchard said Williams went to Mr Thomas’s home that evening looking for him or his daughter, who were not there, before spotting Mr Thomas walking home in Stoke Newington Common as he was driving away.
Williams stopped the van he was driving in the middle of the road, got out and stabbed Mr Thomas five times, the prosecutor continued.
“The breakdown of the defendant’s relationship with Carron Thomas appears to have been the trigger for his actions,” Mr Orchard said.
“He went out looking for Ms Thomas but was unsuccessful. He decided on an easier target.”
The prosecutor continued: “He was clearly intent on attacking the 55-year-old Derek Thomas.
“Mr Thomas may well have swung a punch at the defendant but if he did, you can be sure he was acting in a desperate attempt to defend himself.
“There can be no doubt that the attacker was this knife-wielding defendant.
“Mr Thomas was struck by the knife on five occasions in different places in what was, you may think, a frenzied attack.
“If you were walking home across the common minding your own business and someone ran at you with a large knife you would have been terrified – clearly so was Mr Thomas.
“Having stabbed Mr Thomas, the defendant left him for dead and went on the run, only being arrested a month later at the carnival.”
Mr Orchard took the jury through text messages Williams and Ms Thomas exchanged that day, which he said were civil to begin with, about domestic arrangements after their break-up.
But by late afternoon “tempers appeared to become frayed”, he told jurors.
Williams is said to have messaged Ms Thomas saying: “Dumb bitch, talking like you somebody, f*** it… gonna show you something, coming to me with that fake confidence, watch this space.”
Just before 7pm, Ms Thomas reported to police that Williams was at her sister’s address, but when police arrived he was not there, the court heard.
The jury was told that Williams spoke to Ms Thomas’s brother that evening, wanting to know where he was.
Just after 10.30pm, Ms Thomas called police again, while she was at her sister’s house, believing she could see Williams walking through the estate, jurors heard.
At about 11pm, the prosecutor said, Williams was at Mr Thomas’s home address, shortly before he allegedly went on to spot and then stab him before driving off.
Mr Thomas had finished a late shift as a bus driver and had popped into Tesco for some food before heading home when he was attacked, the court heard.
The contents of his shopping bag were strewn over the pavement and road.
“You can be sure that when the defendant inflicted those dreadful injuries on Mr Thomas he intended at the very least to cause him really serious harm,” Mr Orchard said.
“You might think, given the weapon he carried, and his clear intent that night to seek out Carron Thomas or any member of her family, that his only intention was in fact to use such a large knife to kill.
“Sadly for him, Mr Thomas was in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
Following Williams’ arrest at Notting Hill Carnival, after he was found with three phones on him and a quantity of cash, he told an officer that he “shouldn’t have worn a puffer jacket to Notting Hill in this heat” before remaining silent during his police interview, the court heard.
Williams denies murder and having an article with a blade or point.
The trial continues.
