A man and a teenage boy have been given life sentences for the stabbing murder of Farhad Khalili in Kingston, United Kingdom. Sean Deery, 28, and Sebastian Niven, 18, were sentenced at the Old Bailey after being convicted of the December attack.
The court heard that Khalili was ambushed and attacked by Deery and Niven as he walked along Surbiton Crescent. The brutal attack was captured on CCTV, showing the pair stabbing Khalili multiple times before fleeing the scene. The victim managed to stagger to Surbiton Road, where he ultimately collapsed and was pronounced dead.
Both Deery and Niven were identified through local CCTV, and while in custody, they refused to answer questions put to them by police. Despite this, there was enough evidence to charge them with murder.
According to Detective Inspector Jim Barry from the Specialist Crime Command, the motive behind the attack is still unknown, as it was never established why the assailants targeted Khalili in such a violent manner. However, he commended the quick response of the officers and the support and assistance of the local community in identifying and detaining the suspects.
Sean Deery was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 25 years imprisonment, while Sebastian Niven received a life sentence with a minimum of 14 years behind bars. The sentences aim to bring some degree of comfort to Khalili’s family and friends who have been left to contend with the tragic outcome.