LONDON, UK – Two individuals have been convicted and sentenced for the ‘violent’ murder of Farhad Khalili in Kingston. Sean Deery, 28, and Sebastian Niven, 18, were found guilty of the attack, which was captured on CCTV and showed the pair launching a brutal assault on the victim. Deery, who had no fixed address, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 25 years imprisonment, while Niven, of Sugden Road, Thames Ditton, received a life sentence with a minimum of 14 years behind bars.
The convictions came after law enforcement officials discovered CCTV footage that directly linked the assailants to the vicious attack. The Old Bailey had convicted both individuals in December, and the recent sentencing at the same court brought a sense of closure to the case. The police commented on the pair’s “ferocity and intent to cause Farhad significant harm.”
The assault took place on December 15, 2021, when Farhad Khalili was ambushed and attacked by Deery and Niven as he walked along Surbiton Crescent in Kingston. The jury heard how Farhad was stabbed several times before collapsing on Surbiton Road, despite efforts from emergency services, Farhad did not survive.
Law enforcement was able to quickly identify and detain both suspects after a swift review of the CCTV footage. Although both Deery and Niven refused to answer questions during police interviews, the evidence against them was strong enough to warrant murder charges.
Despite the assailants and the victim being known to each other, authorities were unable to establish a motive for the brutal attack. Detective Inspector Jim Barry from the Specialist Crime Command praised the quick actions of those on the scene, and the invaluable support and assistance from the local community, which led to the swift apprehension of the suspects.
The sentences handed down to Deery and Niven provide some measure of closure to Farhad’s family and friends as they continue to grapple with the tragic loss. The hope is that justice being served will offer a small degree of comfort to those affected by Farhad’s murder.