Sheffield duo murdered student for his mobile phone in "saddest case" detective had ever dealt with
A detective described the killing as “the saddest case I think I've dealt with”
A pair of Sheffield street robbers who murdered a “caring and loving” 25-year-old pizza delivery driver working his last ever shift before starting his dream job in IT have now served half of their life sentences.
Kasim Ahmed and his cousin Shamraze Khan left Sri Lankan Sheffield Hallam University graduate Thavisha Peiris bleeding to death in the driver's seat of his car following a “frenzied” knife attack.
The hooded duo - intent on robbing Thavisha’s mobile phone -struck as he parked his Toyota Yaris on Southey Crescent, Longley - delivering his last ever two pizzas on October 27, 2013.
Ahmed, then aged 18 and Khan, 26, were jailed for a minimum of 23 years and 24 years at Sheffield Crown Court in July 2014.
During their sentencing hearing Mr Justice Coulson said: "You brutally killed someone providing a form of public service, just because you wanted his mobile phone."
At the conclusion of the case Thavisha's heartbroken family said: "We cannot understand why anyone would do this to another human being and it fills us with such sadness.”
And an investigating officer described the killing as “the saddest case I think I've dealt with”.
Thavisha had graduated from Sheffield Hallam University with a degree in IT and had been working as a Domino's delivery driver to support himself through his studies.
Sheffield Crown Court heard on October 27, 2013, just an hour before murdering Thavisha, Ahmed and Khan had already robbed a teenage girl and her friend at knifepoint of their mobile phones in Castle Market.
But Thavisha, who “always had a smile on his face” and was liked “immediately” by everyone he met, did not give up without a fight. A struggle broke out and he was stabbed repeatedly in the neck, chest, face and arms.
He bled to death on Southey Crescent where he was discovered by worried workmates who set out to look for him.
A post-mortem examination found he suffered 14 stab wounds, one of which severed his carotid artery and another which penetrated his heart.
Forensic evidence, CCTV footage and the public all helped lead police to the killers.
Sentencing Ahmed, the judge Mr Justice Coulson said: "When you first stabbed Thavisha Peiris, you may well have intended only to do him really serious harm.
"But the number of blows inflicted, the considerable force with which you stabbed him and the effort required to pull the knife out of his body and stab him again leave me in no doubt whatsoever that, as you continued to stab him, you were concerned only to kill Thavisha Peiris.
"You brutally killed someone providing a form of public service, just because you wanted his mobile phone."
Turning to Khan he said: "You were the partner of Kasim Ahmed in the carrying out of two knifepoint robberies in Sheffield city centre at about nine o'clock that night and you were again his partner in the similar attempted robbery which led to the murder of Thavisha Peiris about an hour later."
Ahmed, of Ronans Road, Darnall, pleaded guilty to murder but Khan, of Southey Crescent, was convicted after putting Thavisha's family through a two-week trial.
Jurors heard after his arrest Khan told police he saw Ahmed pull out a knife and stab their victim but claimed he did not know he was carrying a weapon.
He said he was unable to stop him and did not encourage or take part in the attack but the prosecution said both men were carrying knives that night and were jointly responsible.
In a statement Thavisha's family said: "We cannot understand why anyone would do this to another human being and it fills us with such sadness.
“We were extremely proud of Thavisha’s achievements and we were so happy he was doing so well in England.
"He was such a kind and considerate man, always full of life and always with a smile on his face - anyone who met him immediately liked him.
“We would never want another family to go through such a tragic loss and endure the pain we feel. Thavisha was the centre of our world and we will never get over losing him.
“He gave us so many reasons to smile and he was so caring and loving'
“We are still devastated and heartbroken over the loss of Thavisha and we are still unable to comprehend that he is actually gone. He gave us so many reasons to smile and he was so caring and loving.
"All we have left are our memories but they will never fill the void in our hearts. He will never again be with us and we will never hear his voice again.
"We sent our son to the UK to study so that he could have a better life. We never thought he would be in any danger. The way in which he was taken from us is absolutely devastating."
Speaking at the conclusion of the case, Det Supt Lisa Ray from South Yorkshire Police said: "These two individuals both pleaded guilty to committing a robbery just over an hour before Thavisha was murdered - so they had been out together in Sheffield city centre and committed two robberies with a knife.
"They were both acting together then, when they committed that robbery, so when they went out later that night we have to conclude they were acting together.
"I've dealt with a lot of murder investigations, every one of them tragic, but I think given the circumstances - it being his very last delivery, the fact his family had sent him here - it is the saddest case I think I've dealt with."