A THUG who stabbed a New Cross doorman to death committed nearly 1,000 violent crimes by his early 20s, the Old Bailey heard.

Duane Daniels, 27, of no fixed address, stabbed father-of-three George Napier, 36, in the heart, on November 10, last year. It took a jury less than an hour to convict him of murder and conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm, on Monday, November 19.

The court heard how a revenge attack was planned when Daniels' friend Spencer Sheppard was thrown out of the Paradise Bar, in New Cross Road, New Cross, for refusing to pay the £5 entry fee.

Sheppard collected his American Pitbull and rounded up his brother Louis, 31, Daniel Clark, 24, and Daniels before returning to the bar.

As Mr Napier fought off the dog, Daniels leant through the door and plunged a knife into his heart.

The court heard Daniels' incredible list of previous convictions began in 1989 with robbery. In 1991 he was jailed for three years after he slashed a man with a knife.

In December 1993 he attacked an elderly lady and her neighbour, beating her unrecognisable and tying her hands and feet. When sentenced for 10 years for the attack, he asked for 950 similar offences to be taken into consideration.

Speaking outside court Mr Napier's partner Anisah Khwaja, 31, said: "I didn't want him to go on the door because I thought it was dangerous. Then one day he just went to work and never came back.

"What happened was so senseless. It was all over a fiver."

Talking about Daniels, she added: " I don't think he has any remorse. I don't think he knows the pain he has caused. He doesn't care."

Clark of Rosenthal House, Rushey Green, and the Sheppard brothers of Albyn Road, Deptford, have admitted conspiracy to cause GBH on November 10, last year. They will all be sentenced on November 30.

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November 20, 2001 14:40