By Tony O’Riley-
A man has been jailed for a Christmas murder in which he killed his flatmate during a drunken fight.
Volodymyr Holovatskyi, 24, of Village Way, was sentenced to ten years and nine months on October 8, at Isleworth Crown Court after pleading guilty to the manslaughter of 28-year-old Dmytro Balaban. The pair had been drinking heavily when a fight between them broke out. Holovatskvi managed to convince a jury that he did not inteninally kill Balban, and the killing was purely accidental.
Emergency services were called to the multiple occupancy property at around 1.40am on December 14 to reports of an assault. Tragic Dmytro was found inside the property with a stab wound to his neck, and was declared dead at 2.08am.
Paramedics found Holovatskyi outside in the street covered in blood which was later confirmed to be Dmytro’s.
Det Insp Colin McKeen said: “This was an extremely tragic incident following a disagreement which was unfortunately fuelled by alcohol. As a result, one young man has very sadly lost his life; and a second will now be spending a considerable time behind bars.”