Patraucean jailed for life

A man from Stanmore who fatally stabbed a woman in Colindale has been jailed today for life today at the Old Bailey. Nicolae Patraucean, 21, a Romanian national, pleaded guilty on June 5 to murdering Rivka Holden on Sunday March 16. A Newton Hearing was held today at the Old Bailey in order for key evidence to be heard by the judge prior to sentencing and Patraucean was jailed for life, to serve a minimum of 25 years’ imprisonment. At around 12.20pm on March 16, a police car was flagged down and officers were alerted to a seriously injured woman at her home address in Falcon Way. London Ambulance Service attended the address and Ms Holden, 55, was pronounced dead at the scene. She had suffered stab injuries. A murder investigation was launched under Detective Chief Inspector Nicola Wall of the Homicide and Major Crime Command. The victim’s Red Hyundai i20, which had been stolen by Patraucean and driven away from the scene, was later found abandoned in the Kingsbury area. Detectives traced Patraucean, who was charged on Monday March 17 with the murder of Ms Holden. Detective Inspector Simon Ashwin, of the Homicide & Major Crime Command, said: “I hope this sentence gives Ms Holden’s family some solace in knowing that her killer has been brought to justice and will spend many years in prison.”