A KILLER who launched a horrific knife attack on a "happy go lucky" mother-of-two from Harlesden has been jailed for life.

Victim Zandra Maxwell-Nelson, 24, of Nicoll Road, was stabbed to death infront of startled bystanders by ex-husband Nathaniel Brown in Tottenham, north London, on April 20 2011 after the pair bumped into one another in the street.

Brown, 27, of no fixed address, admitted manslaughter on the grounds ofd iminished responsibility but was convicted by an Old Bailey jury of murder on Tuesday January 31 and was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum tariff of 21 years before he can be considered for parole.

During the attack, a fleeing Ms Maxwell-Nelson climbed into a parked car in aneffort to escape but her former partner managed to force his way intothe vehicle and continue to slash at her.

The young mother was taken by ambulance to the Royal London Hospital inwhere she died at 8.30pm. She had suffered a total of 20 stab wounds.

Detective Sergeant Ash Hornsby said: "At the time of her death Zandra was 24years old, a mother with two young sons aged two and one.

"She was nearing the end of a three-year university degree course increative advertising and video production and worked part-time in orderto support her family.

"To those who knew her she was 'happy-go-lucky, loving and caring, with a bubbly and infectious personality'.

"On 20 April 2011 Zandras ex-husband, Nathaniel Brown, changed all that.He took Zandras life in an unprovoked brutal knife attack in which he stabbed her 20 times.

"The attack was carried out in the street in broad daylight in front oftheir two young children and members of the public. Zandra and the boyshad just returned from an afternoon barbecue in a local park.

"Brown has never explained his actions that day, instead seeking to rely onthe defences of diminished responsibility and loss of control.

"The Met is grateful to all those who helped secure this conviction and specific gratitude goes to those witnesses who attended court and  gave evidence, reliving a horrific attack.

"However,our thoughts remain primarily with Zandra's family and friends who havebeen left behind, especially her two young sons, her mother and her two sisters.

"The conviction of Brown for murder will undoubtedly provide a sense of justice forZandras family but it will never replace Zandra herself."