A man has been jailed for an apparently random attack on a man in Acton. Owen O’Driscoll – 29 (25.07.92) of Horn Lane, Ealing, was jailed for a total of 27 years following the hearing at Harrow Crown Court on Friday, 3 December. He was found guilty of attempted murder at an earlier hearing on 28 June after admitting possession of an offensive weapon.
O’Driscoll was sentenced to 24 years’ imprisonment for attempted murder, plus a three-year extended licence. The court heard how the incident unfolded at around 20:40hrs on 25 June 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 and O’Driscoll noticed him, dropped the goods he was carrying and walked outside. He produced a knife and stabbed the victim in the neck. An altercation occurred with the victim’s friends and O’Driscoll was surrounded before seeking shelter in a nearby house. In the meantime, police attended and found the victim with life threatening injuries. London Ambulance Service were called and 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. However, he was charged and convicted as above. Detective Constable Arrash Faghihi, who worked on the investigation, said: “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. “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.”
