A MAN on the run for murder was caught by chance after police carried out an early morning drugs raid in Exeter.
Officers arrested Timothy Avril and three others for drugs offences in Beacon Heath after tip offs from neighbours.
But back at the station they discovered his fingerprints matched those of a fugitive being sought in Kent in connection with a fatal stabbing.
The 22-year-old from South East London was then handed over and later convicted by a jury of killing Gus Allman in February alongside Damien Daley, 39, of Folkestone.
He will be sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday.
Mr Allman was stabbed seven times following a drugs deal and died in hospital.
During a search of the crime scene police found a pair of white trainers which had blood stains on. DNA work soon established the shoes belonged to Avril who had fled the scene in the aftermath of the attack in a change of clothes.
The trial heard that Avril headed to London after the stabbing before his eventual arrest in Exeter. It is not known how long he had been in the Devon before his arrest but he was not known to local officers and was not the target of the raid in Wynford Road in April.
PC Mark Arthurs, the officer in charge of the initial raid, said: "All four found at the address were arrested for drugs offences following the early morning raid. They were all fingerprinted and the results showed that Timothy Avril was wanted for murder by Kent police so he was arrested by officers for that offence.
"He was transferred to Kent where the case was dealt with.
"We did not know he was in Exeter and it was just luck really that he was at that address. We are not sure how long he had been in Exeter."
PC Arthurs said they had a close working relationship with Kent police throughout their investigation.
"It was a good result all round," he added.
"We reacted on community intelligence regarding drug activity at an address in Exeter and two people were convicted for that. At the same time we managed to arrest a male wanted on suspicion of murder.
"We believe he was new to the area and not known to us beforehand. But he was wanted for murder, which is about as serious as it gets. It is not often you just pick up people like this for the very high end offences. So we are very pleased with the result."
The two men charged with offences as a result of the raid on April 15 in which Avril was arrested were Drew Morgan, 25, of Wynford Road, Exeter and Ryan Payne, 22, of Arena Park, Exeter. At a hearing in Morgan admitted possession of 6.41g cannabis. He was fined £155. Payne admitted possession of 2.39g of crack cocaine and was fined £120.
One other woman was released without charge and Avril was not charged with any drug offences. He does however face a proceeds of crime act hearing at Exeter Magistrates Court tomorrow over cash that was found at the property.
For the murder Avril will be sentenced alongside Daley on Thursday. Four others who are guilty of perverting the course of justice in relation to the crime will also be sentenced at the same hearing. They are Laura Smith, 38, of Folkestone, Michael Williams, 20, East Dulwich, Melech Marshall, 19, of New Cross and Dean Alford, 20, Aylesham in Kent.
