Vanushan Balakrishnan

2 offences

What the court heard

He was found guilty of murder in Southall, west London, on 24 November 2021. He pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm (GBH) with intent in July 2022. SENTENCING REMARKS Vanushan Balakrishnan and Ilyas Suleiman you are both here today to be sentenced having been convicted by the jury on 6th March 2023 of the murder of 16 year old Rishmeet Singh. You, VB, are also here for an offence of causing GBH with intent contrary to s18 of the Offences Against the Person Act committed on the 1st July 2022 while you were on remand at Feltham YOI (the s18 offence). You pleaded guilty to the s18 offence on 10th March 2023. This case is yet another, yet another tragic example of the needless loss of a young teenager's life following a violent stabbing on the streets of London: this case is the more tragic because Rishmeet was an entirely innocent victim. At your trial all who knew Rishmeet spoke very fondly of him. He was described by friend s as a good person who would not harm a fly; as pure of heart and a humble guy; he wouldn't get into a beef with anyone. He was never involved in any kind of violence. He had no convictions or cautions. He did not drink or take drugs. It defies belief that you two sought him out to kill him. The impact of his death at your hands cannot be overstated. In her victim personal statement, his mother, Gulinder Kaur, tells a heart-rending story. In 2019 she came to the UK with her mother and her only child, Rishmeet, as asylum seekers from !fghanistan. Rishmeet's father had been killed by the Taliban. The Taliban had tried to kidnap Rishmeet and convert him to Islam. As Sikhs the local Gurdwara helped them escape. They came here to seek a safe life. Neither she nor her mother speak English. They were reliant upon Rishmeet for communication. Rishmeet was his mother's carer as she is disabled by polio. They moved to Southall to be closer to an Afghan Sikh community. With hindsight that decision to move will haunt Rishmeet's mother and grandmother for the rest of their lives. With Rishmeet's help they obtained a flat. Rishmeet was a vital and invaluable conduit in all administrative tasks. Rishmeet showed all the signs of growing into a valued member of society: he hoped to become a police officer. Against that background with hope for a peaceful future and a productive and rewarding life for her son, Ms Kaur describes her loss following her son's murder. She cannot put into words the impact upon herself and Rishmeet's grandmother.…

Aggravating and mitigating factors

Age / Youth and immaturity of the offender

Around this case

• Central Criminal Court Crown Court
• Investigated by Metropolitan Police Service