A MAN has been sentenced to 27 years for an apparently random knife attack in Acton, West London, which left the victim fighting for his life.
Owen O'Driscoll, 29, of Horn Lane, Ealing, West London, was sentenced to 24 years' imprisonment at Harrow Crown Court on December 3 for the "shocking, violent assault".
O'Driscoll, who was found guilty of attempted murder at an earlier hearing after admitting possession of an offensive weapon, must serve a further three years on licence.
"O'Driscoll has never fully explained why he attacked the victim with such ferocity but there can be no doubt that this was a shocking, violent assault that could have had fatal consequences," said Detective Constable Arrash Faghihi of the Metropolitan Police.
"The Judge quite rightly paid tribute to members of the public who intervened to help the victim and their quick actions ultimately may have saved his life."
Altercation
The court heard how the incident unfolded at around 8.40pm on June 25, 2020 in Erconwald Street, W12, while O'Driscoll was queuing in an off licence.
The victim, a man aged in his 20s, had arrived outside the shop when O'Driscoll noticed him.
O'Driscoll dropped the goods he was carrying and went outside where he produced a knife and stabbed the victim in the neck.
Following an altercation with the victim's friends, O'Driscoll fled to a nearby house.
Police attended the scene and found the victim with life-threatening injuries.
He was taken to hospital where it was established the attack had damaged an artery in his neck.
O'Driscoll was arrested by officers but declined to answer questions about the incident.
