A man has been jailed for a double stabbing following a police investigation.
Daniel Bell, 43, from Hayes, appeared at Isleworth Crown Court on Wednesday (4 May) where he was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment for two counts of Section 18 grievous bodily harm.
Bell was convicted of the offences following trial at the same court on Wednesday, 8 February.
Police were called at 11:19pm on Sunday, 11 July 2021 to reports of a stabbing near the junction of Willow Tree Lane and Reynolds Road in Yeading.
Officers attended along with the London Ambulance Service. Two 21-year-old men were found with stab injuries and were taken to hospital for treatment. They later went on to make full recoveries.
The victims had been walking along Willow Tree Lane with a third person when Bell walked past them with a dog on a lead.
As they passed one of the victims briefly petted the dog. Bell said nothing, and everyone continued on their way.
But Bell returned moments later and an argument took place during which Bell stabbed the victims in their necks before running away in the direction of Yeading Lane.
An investigation into the motiveless attack was launched by detectives.
Hours of local CCTV footage was trawled through and eventually an image was recovered of the suspect.
On Wednesday, 14 July 2021 the image was released to media as part of an appeal where the public were asked to identify the man.
As a result of that appeal Bell presented himself to police on Thursday, 15 July 2021.
Detective Constable Christina Bignell said: “This was an unprovoked attack on three people simply walking back to their car after a meal out.
“There was no justification for the attack launched by Bell that put two men in hospital both suffering knife wounds to their necks.
“It was pure luck that their injuries were not far more serious and it is right that Bell has been held to account for needlessly violent actions. I hope that the significant sentence handed down today brings closure and a sense of justice to the victims.”
