By james art Two teenagers, both aged 15, who cannot be named because of their age, were today convicted of the murder of Muhammad Ali, who was stabbed to death in Birmingham’s Victoria Square earlier this year.
Muhammad Ali, known as Ali, died in hospital on January 20, hours after he and a friend were followed around town by two masked boys they did not know before he was stabbed in the chest by one of them while they were talking.
Police in the West Midlands have released horrifying CCTV footage of the moment one of the teenagers pulls out the knife he used to kill Mohammed.
The two confronted Mohammed and his friend, demanding to know where they were from and if they were responsible for an earlier attack on one of their friends, which they were not.
They continued to question the friends until Mohammed told the two to leave because he did not know what they were talking about.
At this one of the boys suddenly pulled out a large knife and stabbed him in the chest before running away.
Mohammed was taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, but the damage to his heart was too severe and he was later pronounced dead.
West Midlands Police launched a major investigation and arrested the two teenagers on January 23. They were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court today, November 1.
During the hearing, Judge Justice Garnham said Mohammed’s killing was “another illustration of the horrific consequences of carrying knives in public”.
He said: “I am completely clear [Muhammad] was a much loved son and brother and his family has been left completely devastated by his death.”
Jurors took just over four hours to return unanimous verdicts in July, finding the boy who carried out the fatal attack guilty of murder and possession of a knife, and his friend, who was standing nearby when he was stabbed, guilty of manslaughter. murder and possession of a knife.
A 15-year-old convicted of murder was today remanded in custody for a minimum of 13 years. The other was sentenced to five years in prison.
Neither boy showed any emotion when they were sentenced.
At Birmingham Crown Court today, the boy convicted of murder was ordered to be detained at His Majesty’s pleasure for at least 13 years. The other was sentenced to five years in prison.
In a statement today, Mohammed’s family said: “We as a family still cannot bear even the thought of how he died, even writing the word killed again destroys a little bit of us.
“The loss of Mohammed or any child is devastating and life-destroying, but the fact that someone so brutally took their life in such a horrific way will always haunt us.
“It is so hard to describe how his death has affected our family’s life.
“His teachers told us how smart he was and the kindness he showed helping others.
“Students told us how friendly and chatty he was to be around and told us how they would miss him.
“He dreamed of becoming an engineer and his passion was to work hard to achieve his goal.
“That dream will no longer come true, not because of our willingness to work hard, but in the hands of another.”
Det Insp Michelle Thurgood, of West Midlands Police, who is leading the investigation, said: “Unfortunately this is yet another case of young men carrying a knife and being prepared to use it with catastrophic consequences.
“Mohammed was just enjoying a day out with a friend.
“There is no evidence whatsoever that he knew any of the boys who killed him, no evidence that he was involved in any earlier attack.
“This appalling violence that causes misery to families must stop.
“We are relentless in our work to tackle knife crime, arresting those who carry blades and helping to educate those who might be drawn into this lifestyle.
“But we need help. We need help from parents, guardians, teachers – anyone who cares for young people.
“I would urge them to share Muhammad’s story with the young people in their lives and really consider the devastating effects it has had on everyone involved.”