Brent Tragedy: Man Jailed for Killing Housemate in Stabbing
A 24-year-old man has been locked up for nearly 11 years after fatally stabbing his housemate in their Brent flat.
Night of Violence Ends in Death
Volodymyr Holovatskyi, from Village Way, NW10, was sentenced on 8 October at Isleworth Crown Court. He got 10 years and 9 months for the manslaughter of 28-year-old Dmytro Balaban.
The heartbreaking drama unfolded in the early hours of 14 December 2019. London Ambulance Service called police at 1:40am after a violent altercation was reported at their shared home.
Ukrainian national Dmytro was found with a fatal stab wound to his neck inside the property. Despite emergency efforts, he was pronounced dead shortly after 2am.
Bloody Scene and a Bitter Argument
Police arrived to find Holovatskyi outside, drenched in blood later confirmed to be Dmytro’s. The two men had reportedly clashed following a night of drinking.
Holovatskyi was arrested on the spot and initially charged with murder. However, he later pleaded guilty to manslaughter on 7 October.
Police Comment on Tragic Fallout
Detective Inspector Colin McKeen said: “This was an extremely tragic incident following a disagreement fuelled by alcohol. One young man has very sadly lost his life; and another will now be spending considerable time behind bars.”
A second man caught up in the incident was released with no further action.
