Three men have been sentenced to jail following the murder of Sven Badzak, a 22-year-old law student who was brutally attacked in what appears to be a case of mistaken identity. The tragic incident occurred on a busy west London high street on February 6, 2021, when Sven was stabbed to death by a group of males.

Metropolitan Police detectives conducted extensive investigations, relying on phone records and CCTV footage to establish the defendants’ presence at the murder scene and their regular contact with each other. Rashid Gedel, 22, of Fenman Gardens, Ilford, and Shiroh Ambersley, 23, of Matthews Close, Wembley, were each sentenced to 27 years in prison for Sven’s murder and 12 years (concurrent) for causing grievous bodily harm to a 16-year-old male, Sven’s friend.

A third man, Harvey Canavan, 19, of Walterton Road, W9, was sentenced to seven and a half years for manslaughter. Detective Inspector John Marriott from Specialist Crime North expressed his condolences to Sven’s family and friends and commended the bravery of the second victim attacked that night, whose courage led to securing justice for the victims.

The investigation revealed that the defendants showed no remorse for their actions, with Gedel even boasting about the incident on social media after the murder. It was evident that the group had gone out that evening with the intention of causing serious harm, carrying knives as they roamed the streets seemingly looking for victims.

Tragically, Sven and his friend became targets due to a mistaken identity, as the attackers suspected them to be part of a rival gang, which was not the case. They were just two friends walking home after a trip to the shop.

Gedel and Ambersley were convicted on July 7, while Canavan pleaded guilty to manslaughter at the start of the trial. The judge praised the officers for their exceptional investigative work during the sentencing hearing.

Prior to the stabbing, Gedel and Ambersley were seen staring at two females in a bakery, indicating their intent to find someone to attack. Sven and his friend, unaware of the approaching danger, were walking along the same road after visiting a supermarket. When they encountered the attackers, the latter asked, “What are you on?” before stabbing Sven in the chest and the second victim in the back.

Sven managed to run briefly before collapsing in the street, where the defendants continued to assault him. They then chased the second victim, who sought refuge in a nearby supermarket and received help. The defendants eventually gave up the chase and fled the scene.

Despite prompt attendance from paramedics, Sven succumbed to his injuries at the scene. The police launched an investigation, which primarily focused on CCTV and mobile phone data, leading to the identification and subsequent arrest of the three defendants.

Detectives issued images of two males in connection with the murder in February 2022, and the appeal remains active. Anyone with information is urged to contact the police at 101 or tweet @MetCC, quoting CAD 5580/06FEB21. Alternatively, anonymous tips can be provided to the independent charity Crimestoppers at 0800 555 111.