LONDON, ENGLAND – A man and a teenage boy have been handed life sentences for the stabbing death of a man in Kingston. Sean Deery and Sebastian Niven were sentenced at the Old Bailey following their conviction for the murder of Farhad Khalili in December.
The court heard that Mr. Khalili was ambushed and attacked on December 15, 2021, as he walked along Surbiton Crescent. CCTV footage showed Mr. Khalili being attacked by Deery and Niven, who stabbed him several times before fleeing the scene. The victim managed to make his way to Surbiton Road, where he collapsed and was pronounced dead.
Both Deery, 28, and Niven, 18, were identified as the assailants through local CCTV footage and other evidence. Deery had been detained after being mistakenly linked to a separate robbery, while Niven was arrested at his home, where blood-stained clothing linking him to the attack was found.
Despite being known to each other, it was not established why the assailants launched a violent attack on Mr. Khalili. Detective Inspector Jim Barry, from the Specialist Crime Command, commended the actions of those on the scene and the support from the local community, which aided in the quick identification and detention of both suspects.
The life sentences handed down to Deery and Niven, with minimum terms of 25 years and 14 years imprisonment, respectively, are aimed at bringing some comfort to Mr. Khalili’s family and friends. The motive for the attack remains unclear, but the swift action of law enforcement and the community in identifying and apprehending the perpetrators has led to justice being served for the victim.