Two men have been jailed after a “frenzied” knife attack inside a Canning Town shop.

In February last year, 18-year-old Ramah Williams, from Newham and 22-year-old Awadh Saleh, of no fixed address, attempted to murder a man in Fife Road.

The victim - who police say was a rival gang member - survived the attack after locking himself in a toilet in a storeroom.

Det Ch Insp John Arnold from the Met’s North East area CID said: “Saleh and Williams were intent on carrying out senseless violence that day when they ultimately attempted to assassinate a rival gang member.

“The victim is lucky to be alive and if he had not been able to escape that might not have been the case, as Saleh and Williams were intent on causing him as much harm as possible.”

The court heard the victim went into the shop around 3.30pm on February 27 last year.

As he entered, a Range Rover pulled up outside and Saleh and Williams followed him in, armed with knives.

They approached the victim, who was speaking to the owner at the back of the store, pushed the shopkeeper out of the way and began stabbing their target.

The victim - who police say suffered four stab wounds - managed to escape and ran into the storeroom, locking himself in the toilet.

Williams, aged 17 at the time, forced the door to the storeroom open, but the pair were unable to break into the toilet.

They then ran out of the shop and got into the waiting Range Rover.

Both suspects denied their involvement in the attack, but were unanimously convicted of all charges by a jury on 22 October, 2021.

Saleh was convicted of attempted murder, possession of both an offensive weapon and a knife, blade or pointed article in a public place, and possession of a Class B drug - cannabis.

Williams was found guilty of attempted murder, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and possession of a Class B drug - also cannabis.

They were sentenced at Snaresbrook Crown Court on Monday (March 7).

Saleh was jailed for 21 years - with 16 years to be served in prison - while Williams was sentenced to 17 years’ imprisonment, including 12 in prison.

The remaining five years of each sentence will be served on extended licence, police say.