A 28-year-old man from East Dulwich faces over eight years behind bars after he plunged a knife into his victim’s head for laughing at his friend’s driving.
Peter Hyacienth was sentenced at Croydon Crown Court today (Monday, April 17) to eight years and one month imprisonment.
He previously pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent and his co-defendant 27-year-old Ras Barton from Catford was sentenced to a community order at an earlier hearing, after he pleaded guilty to assault by beating.
The shocking attack just after midnight on March 12 last year, at the Fox on the Hill pub in Denmark Hill, has left the 20-year-old victim with injuries he is still ‘recovering from.’
The court was told that the victim and a friend were stood in the smoking area of the pub’s car park having enjoyed a night out when Barton drove in ‘erratically’.
Barton and Hyacienth are said to have attacked the victim after hearing him comment on the driving and Hyacienth stabbed him in the head with a knife.
Police said the two suspects had stolen the victim’s phone and analysis of its movements showed it followed the route their car took after the incident.
Officers had obtained data from the car park’s number plate recognition cameras and CCTV recordings. They also examined social media and ‘communications data’, which identified the pair.
Detective Constable Shane Richardson, who carried out the investigation, said: “This was an extremely violent attack on a man who was enjoying a night out with his friends, and highlights the harm which knife crime can cause.
“He is still in the process of recovering from his injuries and the trauma of this incident and I hope this outcome brings him and his family some closure.
“The Met is committed to removing violent offenders from the streets of London and I am pleased this investigation resulted in the identification and apprehension of two violent men”.