Boy, 15, stabbed stranger in heart while he was chatting about cricket with his friend

dailyrecord.co.uk:

A 15-year-old boy who stabbed a teenager in the heart in Birmingham city centre as he and a friend chatted about cricket has been detained for life with a minimum term of 13 years for his murder.

Muhammad Hassam Ali, known as Ali, died in hospital on January 20, hours after he and his friend were followed through the city by two masked males they did not know, before he was stabbed in the chest by one of them as they sat in Victoria Square.Judge Mr Justice Garnham said 17-year-old Ali’s murder was “yet another illustration of the appalling consequences of carrying knives in public places” as he detained them at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday.

He said: “It is perfectly clear to me (Ali) was a much-loved son and brother and his family have been left utterly devastated by his death.”Neither of the youths, who cannot be identified for legal reasons due to their age, showed any emotion as they were sentenced.

A jury took just over four hours to return unanimous verdicts in July, finding the youth who carried out the fatal attack guilty of murder and possessing a knife and his friend, who was standing nearby when the stabbing happened, guilty of manslaughter and possessing a knife.The second youth, also aged 15, was told by Mr Justice Garnham he must serve five years’ detention in secure accommodation.