A man has been jailed for murdering a 29-year-old dad in a random drug-fuelled knife attack in Edmonton.
Lukasz Siemienowicz, 41, targeted market trader Julio Gomes in the grounds of Old Edmontonians’ Sports & Social Club, in Jubilee Park in September 2019.
It happened a short walk from the fruit and vegetable stall on Edmonton Green where Julio worked.
The father-of-three was stabbed near the bandstand roughly 65 metres from the clubhouse where a party was taking place.
He ran for help but was pursued by Siemienowicz, who had been drinking heavily and taken significant amounts of cocaine.
A member of the public provided first aid while they awaited the arrival of emergency services while party-goers detained Siemienowicz.
A post-mortem examination carried out on September 16, 2019 found Julio died after suffering a stab injury to his abdomen.
During sentencing, Judge Martyn Zeidman QC, said: "This was a totally unprovoked knife attack upon a good and innocent member of the public.
“Whatever sentence I impose, you have sentenced the family to a life of mourning."
He was given 22 years’ prison today (Monday, December 13).
In a statement, Julio's family said: "Julio was 29 years old when his life was brutally taken away from us, and he left three children, two twin sons of 12 years old, and a daughter of eight years old.
“He was our first-born son and our golden boy. He belonged to a humble, respectful, honest family whose main concern on a daily basis is work.
"We know that nothing will bring Julio back to us, but we hope that the end of this trial will bring a little bit of peace to us.
“We will never know why Julio was killed, and we will forever be tormented by this for the rest of our lives.
"Our main concern now is that we do not want the suffering we are experiencing to happen to any other family.
"We are grateful to the police and the court for everything they have done to see justice carried out for Julio."
Detective Sergeant Dolores Connolly, who worked on the investigation, added: “Siemienowicz is a dangerous individual who carried out a random attack on a hard-working man who did everything he could to provide for his family.”
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