Highgate man jailed for 27 years after 'heinous attack'

Richard Savanda was previously found guilty of attempted murder following an attack last year on a 20-year-old man in Archway

The area in Archway where the stabbing took place and (inset) Richard Sivanda

A Highgate man has been jailed after he stabbed a stranger in the head near Archway Station – leaving them with life-changing injuries.

Richard Sivanda, aged 23 and of Highgate Hill, was today (Friday 17th) sentenced to 27 years in prison at Snaresbrook Crown Court.

He was found guilty of attempted murder following the attack last year on a 20-year-old man in Archway.

Officers reviewed CCTV footage which placed Sivanda at the scene and identified him as being in the area before and after the attack.

Footage also showed Sivanda returning to his home address, where he was arrested just 29 hours after the attack took place.

The investigation team also uncovered a video depicting Sivanda, who used a filter intended to mask his face, claiming that he believed he had killed the victim and boasting of the gruesome nature of the assault.

Detective Chief Inspector Gemma Alger, who led the Met’s investigation, said: “Our thoughts are with the victim of this heinous attack. A victim of mistaken identity, this case shows how gang violence can spill out further onto our streets.

“Sivanda was particularly brazen in his conduct, going as far as to brag on social media of the attack and the lasting damage he caused. Thankfully, our detective work has seen him put behind bars.

“Our mission to eradicate this kind of violence is having an impact, with the number of people hospitalised after being stabbed falling by 29% in the last five years. This represents promising progress, but we remain focused on driving down serious violence across London.”

Officers were called at 10.28pm on Saturday, 15th February 2025, after a man was admitted to hospital with stab wounds to the head.

Earlier that night, Sivanda had approached the victim and his girlfriend as they walked along Highgate Hill towards the tube station. Neither of them knew Sivanda, nor had they ever met him.

Sivanda proceeded to challenge the victim and asked him where he was from, believing him to have been a member of a rival gang who was responsible for a murder which had taken place in 2021, a claim for which there was no evidence.

After the victim and his partner walked away, Sivanda chased after them and confronted the victim again, attacking him with a pointed weapon. Sivanda then fled the scene while the victim was left in a critical condition, later managing to get to hospital and receive life-saving treatment.

Despite this, he was left with lasting brain damage and was forced into an assisted living facility.

Sivanda had previously pleaded guilty to assault with the intention of causing serious harm. On Wednesday, 14th January, a jury at Snaresbrook Crown Court found Sivanda guilty of attempted murder.

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