A 21-year-old man from Southall has been found guilty of murdering an accounting student in a fatal stabbing at Strawberry Hill station in south west London.
Dino Donaldson, of Caxton Road, was convicted at the Old Bailey on Tuesday (14 April 2026) following a trial that heard how a planned drug deal escalated into deadly violence. He is due to be sentenced at the same court on 19 June 2026.
Jurors heard that two groups of young men had arranged to meet at the station on the evening of 8 January 2024 to exchange £50 for MDMA tablets. Donaldson and three others arrived shortly after 10pm, with 21-year-old Anojan Gnaneswaran arriving around an hour later.
A disagreement developed between the groups, escalating after Anojan called his brother, who attended with others. During the confrontation, Donaldson produced a knife and chased the group onto the railway tracks, where he caught up with Anojan and stabbed him in the chest, abdomen and thigh.
Anojan’s brother called emergency services and began CPR before paramedics arrived, but he died at the scene.
Detectives from British Transport Police traced Donaldson’s movements using CCTV as he fled through Twickenham towards Kingston upon Thames. He was arrested at his home on 11 January, where officers found him hiding in a cupboard. Forensic evidence later linked him to the knife recovered at the scene.
Detective Chief Inspector Paul Attwell said: “What started as an argument over a drug deal ended in a young man’s life being cut short by a remorseless thug.
“Donaldson showed his true colours as a coward by arming himself with a knife that night. His cowardice has continued by never accepting responsibility and admitting his crime – thankfully the jury saw through his lies.
“While no verdict can ever compensate for the loss of Anojan, I hope today’s outcome provides his family with some sense of closure.”
In a tribute, Anojan’s family described him as a “much-loved son and brother” who “was so excited for his future”.
