Three teenagers have been handed custodial sentences totalling almost 13 years for a brutal and unprovoked knife attack on a 15-year-old boy in a Birmingham park.
Shocking Violence in a Community Park
The violent incident occurred in Morris Park on Raymond Road, Alum Rock, in March last year. The court heard how the victim was pinned against a fence by the group before being subjected to a sustained assault.
He was repeatedly punched, kicked and stabbed before his attackers fled the scene. The seriously injured teenager managed to stumble out of the park and flag down a member of the public, who immediately called the emergency services.
Life-Saving Surgery and Police Investigation
The 15-year-old victim was rushed to Birmingham Children's Hospital, where he underwent eight hours of surgery for wounds to his back, shoulder and torso. He continues to recover from the physical and psychological trauma of the attack.
West Midlands Police's Major Crime Unit launched a major investigation. Officers spoke to witnesses and conducted a detailed trawl of local CCTV footage to identify the perpetrators.
The motive for the shocking violence was described as "pathetic" by the prosecution. It emerged the attack was triggered simply because the boy answered 'no' when asked by the group if he was from the area.
Sentences Handed Down at Crown Court
All three attackers were arrested, charged, and pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm with intent. They were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, December 23.
Ibrahim Ishfaq, 18, of Edmund Road, Alum Rock, was sentenced to four years and ten months in a young offenders institution.
Mohammed Hasan, 18, of Gowan Road, Alum Rock, received a sentence of three years and two months.
A 17-year-old male, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was also sentenced to four years and ten months.
In a related development, a fourth man, Idris Urfan, 20, of Monk Road in Ward End, was sentenced to one year in jail for assisting an offender in connection with the same investigation.
A Clear Message on Knife Crime
Detective Inspector Francis Nock, from the Major Crime Unit, condemned the attack. "This was a shocking, violent attack," he said. "Our team worked extensively on the case to identify the suspects and bring them into custody and finally before the courts."
He added a stark warning: "We want to send out a clear message that we won't tolerate people who use weapons on our streets and demonstrate violence such as we have seen in this case. If you behave in this manner we will arrest and charge you and bring you before the courts, and the sentences handed out here show how seriously it will be taken."
