James Sinclair, 31, was jailed after being found guilty of murdering Sadika Patel and the attempted murder of a 48-year-old woman, following a trial at the Old Bailey. Patel was waiting for a bus in East Ham when she was stabbed seven times by Sinclair in the early hours of March 19, 2020. The 40-year-old was on her way to deliver a parcel of food to her teenage sons before the first coronavirus lockdown. Sinclair stabbed her in the face, head and shoulders during the 20-second attack, before leaving her fatally wounded on the pavement. A member of the public who heard her scream called the police. Patel was taken to Newham General Hospital, where she died despite the best efforts of hospital staff. Shadika Patel was waiting for a bus when she was stabbed seven times by James Sinclair in the early hours of March 19, 2020. Photo: CPS/PA Sinclair then struck again the next day in Islington, stabbing a lone woman in the face and body. However, this time his victim survived. He fled the scene but was arrested a week later following a police investigation. Sinclair was convicted of one count of murder and one count of attempted murder at the Old Bailey on Tuesday. On Friday, he was sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 41 years for murder, with a concurrent life sentence, with a minimum term of 18 years for attempted murder, the Met said. The force added that the 830 days spent on remand will be deducted from this total sentence. Sinclair refused to attend court during his trial and never gave an explanation as to why he attacked the two women. DCI Mark Rogers, speaking after the sentencing hearing, said: “I am satisfied with the length of the prison sentence, which reflects the seriousness of James Sinclair’s crimes. “This investigation shows that the Met will act swiftly to arrest and prosecute anyone who commits this type of violent crime. “James Sinclair will now spend most of the rest of his life in prison and will no longer be a threat to anyone on the streets of London.” DI John Marriott, the lead investigator, said: “James Sinclair’s actions destroyed the lives of Shadika’s friends and family and left her two teenage sons motherless. “It is incomprehensible why he chose to attack two lonely women at night. Incidents like this are rare and my team of detectives worked quickly to track down Sinclair before he could attack anyone else. “Tackling violence against women and girls is an absolute priority for the Met. Every day our officers work with partners across the capital to improve safety in our public spaces. “Women should not change their behavior and should be able to go about their business, feeling safe, at any time of the day or night. It’s our job to make sure that happens – but officers can’t be in all places at all times. “I would urge our community, especially women, to report any suspicious or unwanted behavior and seek help if you feel threatened.”
