Mother’s heartbreak as son, 22, stabbed to death in Kilburn in ‘barbaric’ attack by a gang as he went to buy bagel and a smoothie

“charming” aspiring lawyer was stabbed to death in Kilburn on Saturday after he went to buy an orange smoothie and a bagel for his mother.

Police believe Sven Badzak was stabbed along with a 16-year-old friend as they fled a group of men after they confronted him outside a shop where he picking up a salmon and cream cheese bagel – a favourite for his mother – in Willesden Lane at about 5.40pm on February 6.

His friend burst into the local Tesco’s to seek help before collapsing whilst Mr Badzak was attacked after falling to the ground. Police told his family they couldn’t tell if he was fatally stabbed in the chest or the stomach.

His mother, Jasna Badzak, 49, said her only child could have been Prime Minister due to his unique debating skills honed at the Wetherby School, the same private school as Prince William and Harry, and then the University of Roehampton where he studied sociology.

She told the Standard: “He was my only child, I did everything I could to get him a good education.

“The last thing he said to me was thank you, I love you on the phone. He would always come in and hug me straight away when he went out, I would have to remind him to wash his hands. Every day I would kiss him, if I didn’t he would complain.

“He was so charming, he charmed everyone he came across his headteacher included. He was so persuasive he could have gone to the very top and be Prime Minister.

“He had amazing looks and he knew it. Lots of modelling agencies were chasing him too but he thought that was too superficial – he wanted to be a lawyer.”

His mother who fled civil war in Yugoslavia said: “I used to have a Kalashnikov rifle pointed in my face every day but I still don’t feel safe in the UK. My son abhorred violence, it was never in my mind he would be caught up in it.

“I refused to give him shiny things like Rolex’s or anything people would want to take off him. Sven would never hurt anybody, he would help old ladies in the street, give money to homeless people. Violence wasn’t on his planet.”

“I want whoever did this to be jailed for the rest of their lives as well as anyone who helps them or lies for them. I’m appealing to their mothers to do the right thing.”

Detective Chief Inspector Darren Jones, who leads the investigation, said: “Our thoughts are with both families of these victims who must be enduring unimaginable pain at this time; I want to assure them that we will support them throughout this investigation and that my team of highly experienced officers will be working tirelessly to locate and apprehend those responsible for this horrific attack.

“I would also appeal to anyone who was in or around the Willesden Lane and Kilburn High Road area at the time and may have witnessed this incident involving the victims and suspects to get in contact. If you were a road user and have dash cam fitted in your vehicle then please check this as you may have captured a part of this which could help our investigation.”

Chief Inspector Guy Ellwood from the North West Basic Command Unit said: “This was a barbaric attack in a public place and the community will be rightly shocked. As a result you will see more officers on the streets over the remainder of this weekend and the coming days.

“If you have any concerns then please speak to them.

“I would also appeal directly to the community – violence of this nature has no place on our streets. If you know of any piece of information that could help identify those responsible, please do the right thing and contact police or Crimestoppers.”

Anyone with information that could assist police is asked to call 101 or tweet @MetCC and quote CAD5580/6Feb.

Alternatively, you can provide information anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.

If there are any young people who have information about violence or knife crime, they can visit fearless.org where they can pass on information anonymously.