There are many motives that can lead to someone breaking the law. Addictions, greed and desperation are all common drivers of stealing, or what's known as 'acquisitive' crime, whereas short tempers and damaged pride can quickly lead to violence.

But one theme that rears its ugly head from time to time is revenge. Sadly, we have reported on a number of cases this year where senseless retaliation led to serious injury and even death. Tragically, in some instances the victim was completely innocent with their attackers so blinded by rage they identified the wrong person.

Scroll through our list of cases below where the offenders were fuelled by revenge. All they did was cause more pain and continue the cycle of violence.

READ MORE: 9 nightmare criminals who will make you never want to use a bus or train again

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Boys, 17, stabbed 16-year-old lad to death thinking he was someone else

Teenagers Sukhman Shergill and Prabjeet Veadhesa killed their school friend Ronan Kanda in a tragic case of mistaken identity. The 16-year-old victim had been walking home on Mount Road in Lanesfield, Wolverhampton, on the evening of June 29 last year when the killers, also 16 at the time, got out of a car and ran towards him.

Ronan was returning home from a friend's where he had been to buy a PlayStation controller for £5. Veadhesa stabbed him twice thinking he was someone else who owed him money.

Both he and Shergill, who admitted the boy was not the intended target, were sentenced to life after being found guilty of murder. Veadhesa, of Cairn Drive, Bentley, Walsall, was ordered to serve a minimum of 18 years in custody while Shergill, of Bewley Road, Willenhall, was told to serve a minimum term of 16 years.

Mum of nine put on tag after taking 'revenge' on sister-in-law at wedding

Halima Ahmed left sister-in-law Zainab Ahmed disabled after throwing a plate at her at a wedding. The pair had fallen out years before they ended up rowing at the Bia Lounge Wedding Hall in Small Heath.

Zainab, 57, threw a biscuit at Halima, 55, who tossed a flask of coffee which missed. Halima then chucked the plate which Zainab deflected away with her arm, causing a deep cut which resulted in long-term problems.

Halima, a mum-of-nine, of Dirleton Road, Newham in London, admitted unlawful wounding. She was spared prison, partly due to her poor physical health and the impact it would have on her youngest children. Instead she was sentenced to 12 months suspended for 18 months, which included a 16-week electronic tag.

Trio jailed after two men hurt in Smethwick computer shop shooting

A gang blasted up City Computers in Smethwick out of revenge, leaving two people injured from gunfire. Haider Shabir had a sawn-off shotgun and Mohammed Latif an axe while accomplice Mohammed Wajid waited nearby ready to drive them away.

The group smashed up the shop front leaving glass and debris strewn across the pavement. Four gunshots were fired at close range towards staff. Shabir, 20, of Lane Avenue, Walsall, was jailed for 14 years after admitting possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life.

Latif, 23, of Alumwell Road, Walsall, was jailed for nine years and ten months after admitting the same charge. Wajid, of Jessel Road, Walsall, was jailed for 21 months after pleading guilty to assisting an offender.

Mum who ran over boyfriend in revenge for 'years of abuse' is jailed

Gina Brown ran over her boyfriend in retaliation for 'years of abuse'. They had been at the Village Green pub in Erdington earlier in the night and on good terms but something 'soured' the evening.

They left separately and Brown pursued the victim in her Volkswagen T-Roc before mounting the kerb on Reservoir Road and ploughing into him. He was flung into the air and suffered a significant brain injury. His condition was life-threatening at the time but he has since gone on to make a good recovery.

Brown, aged 46, of Osprey Road, was cleared of attempted murder but convicted of causing grievous bodily harm with intent. She was sentenced to four years.

'Cold-blooded' killer jailed for shooting wrong man over 'disrespect'

Jervais Boyaram murdered Mohammed Sohail outside the victim's home in Saltley in another tragic case of mistaken identity. He wrongly believed the 26-year-old was part a group of Asian men who had supposedly 'disrespected' him in an incident at a petrol station earlier in the night

Boyaram drove around the area looking for them but came across Mr Sohail who happened to be driving a similar-looking silver Volkswagen, albeit it was a different model. Boyaram followed him to Wright Road, pulled up alongside and shot him at point-blank range in what was described as a 'cold blooded execution'.

The 37-year-old, of Birbeck House, Chelmsley Wood, was found guilty of murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life and possession of ammunition with intent to endanger life. He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 31 years.

Thirty years for masked hitmen who shot victim in brutal revenge plot

Vito Dimarco instructed 'hitmen' Darren Hattersley and Nathan Odley to kill a rival at his home in Wishaw, near Sutton Coldfield. He had a history of animosity with the target and sought revenge after being handed a suspended sentence for maliciously wounding him.

Hattersley, 54, roped in Odley, 42, and they shot the man on his driveway. But they failed to kill him and only managed to badly injure his leg and arm. Dimarco, 36, distanced himself from the attempted hit by spending the day with his family.

All three were convicted of conspiracy to commit murder and sentenced to life. Hattersley, of Nottingham, and Odley, of Derby, will spend a minimum of 30 years in jail while Dimarco, of Swadlincote, will serve no less than 22 years.

Killer mum jailed after mowing down 'motorcycle thief'

Kerry Fair chased, mowed down and ultimately killed Thomas Maguire after he had been involved in the theft of a motorcycle from her daughter's boyfriend. The 30-year-old victim was riding away on the Yamaha, which was a stolen bike in the first place, when Fair struck the back of it in her Ford Focus on Kings Road, Kingstanding.

Afterwards she fled the scene leaving her car on the side of the road with a steering lock on and the engine running. Fair, aged 39, of Parkeston Crescent, Kingstanding, also tried to throw off detectives about what happened in custody calls to her partner. She was convicted of manslaughter and sentenced to 14 years.