🔴 TEEN KILLERS JAILED FOR LIFE OVER MISTAKEN IDENTITY MURDER
Two teenagers who slaughtered an innocent 16-year-old boy in a case of mistaken gang identity have been sentenced to life imprisonment at the Old Bailey.
Vanushan Balakrishnan and Ilyas Suleiman, both 18, were convicted of the murder of Rishmeet Singh, a "pure-hearted" Afghan refugee who had fled the Taliban to seek safety in the United Kingdom.
The court heard that on November 24, 2021, the defendants set out from a safe house in Southall armed with a one-metre-long machete and a Rambo knife with the specific intention to commit murder.
Rishmeet, an aspiring police officer and registered carer for his disabled mother, was walking home from a park when he was targeted by the hooded attackers who mistook him for a member of a rival gang.
The victim attempted to flee down Raleigh Road while shouting warnings to his friends, but he tripped and was subjected to a "merciless" 27-second assault as he lay defenceless on the ground.
Forensic pathology reports confirmed Rishmeet was stabbed 15 times, suffering catastrophic wounds to his head, chest, and vital organs, including his brain, liver, and lungs.
Sentencing the pair, Judge Sarah Munro KC stated that the killers had sought out their victim in an act of "defying belief," noting that Rishmeet was an "entirely innocent" individual who had never been involved in violence.
The investigation revealed that Balakrishnan had a history of knife possession and had previously been referred to social workers for education on the dangers of weapon sweeps and gang culture.
Following the murder, police discovered rap lyrics in Balakrishnan's notebook that glorified the stabbing, specifically referencing the moment the victim "tripped and fell."
Suleiman fled the scene and attempted to alter his appearance before his eventual arrest, while Balakrishnan was found with images of the blood-stained murder weapon on his mobile phone.
The court heard heart-rending testimony from the victim’s mother, Gulinder Kaur, who described Rishmeet as her "lifeline" and the family's sole conduit for navigating life in the UK as asylum seekers.
Balakrishnan was ordered to serve a minimum of 24 years, while Suleiman received a minimum term of 21 years for his role in the joint enterprise killing.
The judge highlighted the tragic irony of the case, as Rishmeet’s family had moved to Southall specifically to be closer to their community after his father was murdered by militants in Jalalabad.
Both defendants will serve their sentences in a Young Offender Institution before being transferred to the adult prison estate upon reaching maturity.
The Metropolitan Police’s Specialist Crime Command praised the witnesses who came forward, stating the convictions reflect the "zero-tolerance" approach to the surge in youth knife crime across London.
Under the life sentence, the pair will remain on licence and liable for recall to prison for the rest of their lives should they ever be granted parole.
