The mother of a newly qualified barrister found dead in the Thames on Friday has paid an emotional tribute to her son.
In an interview with Islington Now, Gianni Sonvico’s mother, Karen Chandler, 51, a charity worker from Pembrokeshire in Wales, said: “My happiest times with Gianni were watching box sets with him – either glued to The Sopranos on my sofa, or watching The Wire in different countries but simultaneously, texting constantly.
“We have received incredible support from Gianni’s friends in London, childhood friends who travelled to London to help with the search, his colleagues and the wider legal community, which clearly cared for one of ‘their own’.”
The body of Mr Sonvico, 23, was found in the water at Greenwich Pier at approximately 10am on Friday 8 November. He was reported missing two weeks before. Police have said they are treating his death as a tragic accident.
Mr Sonvico was last seen at 11pm on Friday 25 October leaving Tower Hill tube station, after attending a social function for young barristers.
A Facebook group urging anyone with information to come forward was joined by more than 2,000 people.
Mr Sonvico graduated from Queen Mary University of London before training to become a barrister.
Ms Chandler added: “Someone said to me recently that, where others looked down, Gianni always looked up. He was single-minded in his ambition to be a criminal defence barrister, partly because to him it represented the purest form of advocacy, and partly because of a passionate belief in the British justice system, and that everyone should have proper representation.
“Gianni was involved in the campaign against legal aid cuts which he saw as a real threat to this [the justice system], and the only fitting legacy for my son would be if everyone redoubled their efforts to oppose them.”
Mr Sonvico was also an avid Arsenal supporter and lived near the club’s Emirates Stadium in Highbury. Ms Chandler said that Arsenal’s current position at the top of the league was a source of “happiness in Gianni’s life” and that he “was a proud season ticket holder”.
Mrs Chandler described her son as “sarcastic, acerbic, articulate and someone who really cared about people but tried his very best to hide it.
“He was resilient. And his friends constantly describe to me how much he was loving his life, and grabbing it with both hands.”
