Man Who Fled to Britain After Stabbing a Woman and Leaving Her for Dead in Italy Gets the Shock of His Life After Police Discover What He Was Doing in the UK

A 21-year-old migrant who moved to Britain after being convicted of trying to murder a woman in Italy has finally been deported from the UK after committing more crimes.

Jamal Tonelli was just 15 years old when he attacked Marta Novello, who is now 29, while she was jogging in a park in Italy in March 2021.

He stabbed her several times before throwing her into a ditch and leaving her seriously injured.

Marta survived after two people passing by found her lying in a pool of blood and stayed with her until an ambulance arrived.

Tonelli later admitted trying to murder her and was sentenced to six years and eight months in prison. However, his sentence was reduced to five years because of his young age and mental condition.

Despite the reduced sentence, Italian judges described him as a dangerous person who could pose a threat to others.

But something unexpected happened.

Because of a mistake by Italian authorities, Tonelli was released from a young offenders’ prison after serving less than a year.

Instead of remaining in Italy, he travelled to Britain to live with his mother, Cristina, who works as a chef in Croydon, South London.

His mother had been living in Britain since 2016, and Tonelli was allowed to enter the country legally.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni later expressed shock over his early release, and an investigation was launched to find out how the mistake happened.

However, Tonelli soon found himself in trouble with the law again after arriving in Britain.

In April 2025, he appeared before Croydon Magistrates’ Court after being caught driving without a licence or insurance and failing to surrender to police.

During the hearing, his lawyer described him as someone who had previously behaved well and explained that he had experienced a difficult childhood.

The court was also told that he worked in a community kitchen and helped victims of violence.

However, neither his lawyer nor the prosecutors knew that he had previously been convicted of attempting to murder a woman in Italy.

The court fined him £120 and ordered him to pay additional charges. He was then allowed to leave.

But less than four months later, Tonelli was arrested again.

In August 2025, police stopped him in Croydon and discovered that he was carrying a knife and illegal drugs, including crack cocaine and heroin.

He admitted the offences, and his case was sent to the Old Bailey in London, where he was sentenced to two years in prison in November 2025.

Following his latest conviction, British authorities began arrangements to remove him from the country.

According to The Mail on Sunday, Tonelli was released from prison earlier this month and placed on a flight to Venice, Italy, last week.

His Italian lawyer said he could neither confirm nor deny the deportation, but Home Office sources confirmed that he had been sent back.

A Home Office spokesperson said the government was working to remove foreign criminals as quickly as possible to protect the public.

The department also revealed that almost 12,000 foreign criminals had been removed or deported from Britain in the two years since the last general election, representing a 41 per cent increase compared with the previous two years.

Officials said changes to the law now allow most foreign prisoners to be deported after serving 30 per cent of their sentences instead of 50 per cent.

Meanwhile, Tonelli’s return to Italy has created fresh concerns for the woman he attacked.

He is now reportedly living with his grandparents in Mogliano Veneto, the same town where the stabbing happened.

More worryingly, his grandparents’ home is only a few minutes away from where Marta and her family live.

Police have reportedly increased patrols in the area because of concerns about her safety.

Marta’s lawyer, Alberto Barbaro, said he was deeply concerned that Tonelli had been allowed to return to the same community as his victim.

He explained that Italian judges had already described Tonelli as dangerous and that his latest crimes in Britain raised further questions about the risk he could pose.

The lawyer said he was not surprised to learn that Tonelli had committed more offences, adding that there had always been fears he might break the law again.

He also expressed concern that Tonelli had been caught carrying another knife in Britain after previously using a knife to attack Marta.

According to the lawyer, Tonelli should never have been released while his case was still going through the Italian courts.

Marta, who now works as an English teacher, previously spoke about how difficult it had been to discover that the man who nearly killed her had been released because of an official mistake.

She said the news had left her deeply upset and made it even harder to move on from the terrible experience.

She also criticised the authorities for allowing such a serious mistake to happen, especially when the safety of victims and the wider community was involved.

Marta explained that recovering from the attack had already been a long and painful journey, both emotionally and financially.

She said the problems surrounding Tonelli’s release had added even more stress to her life.

Tonelli is expected to appear before judges in Venice next week for a third and final appeal in his attempted murder case.

The judges could increase his sentence, reduce it or overturn his conviction.

Marta’s lawyer said he intends to tell the court about Tonelli’s criminal convictions in Britain and explain why he believes they should be considered when deciding what happens next.

For Marta and her family, the biggest concern now is that the man convicted of attacking her is once again living just a short distance from their home.