A 23-year-old man has been sentenced to 27 years in prison after carrying out a violent knife attack on a stranger in north London, leaving the victim with life-changing injuries.
Richard Sivanda was convicted of attempted murder following the assault on a 20-year-old man in the Archway area. He was sentenced on Friday at Snaresbrook Crown Court.
The court heard that the attack, which took place on the night of February 15, 2025, was a case of mistaken identity.
Sivanda had confronted the victim and his girlfriend as they walked along Highgate Hill, wrongly believing the victim to be linked to a rival gang.
After initially approaching the pair, Sivanda challenged the victim and asked where he was from. When the victim and his partner attempted to walk away, Sivanda pursued them, launched a second confrontation and stabbed the victim in the head with a pointed weapon before fleeing the scene.
Emergency services were alerted after the victim was admitted to hospital with severe head injuries. Although he survived following urgent treatment, he was left with permanent brain damage and now requires assisted living.
Investigators relied on CCTV footage which placed Sivanda at the scene before and after the attack. The footage also showed him returning to his home, where he was arrested less than 30 hours later.
Further evidence emerged during the investigation, including a video in which Sivanda, using a face filter, claimed he had killed the victim and boasted about the brutality of the attack.
Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Alger, who led the investigation, described the assault as “heinous” and said it underscored the dangers of gang-related violence spilling into public spaces.
“This was a victim of mistaken identity. Sivanda was particularly brazen, even bragging on social media about the attack and the damage he caused. Our investigation ensured he has now been brought to justice,” she said.
Police said the case forms part of ongoing efforts to tackle knife crime in London, noting that nearly 3,000 knives were removed from the streets last year as part of targeted enforcement operations.
Authorities added that while incidents of serious violence have declined in recent years, efforts remain ongoing to further reduce knife-related offences across the city.