Two teenagers jailed for more than eight years for stabbing outside a Birmingham college

A 16-year-old boy was attending an enrolment day at the University College Birmingham on August 24 in 2023 with friends when they came across a group of boys hanging out near to the college.

A passing comment was made to one of the friends who were there to enrol for the new term. When they left the ticketed event, the group of friends walked along East Parade in Birmingham city centre and sat on a wall to chat.

Two teenagers from the group they'd encountered earlier had decided to follow the friends. A 17-year-old who cannot be named for legal reasons threatened a 16-year-old boy from the group with a knife he had concealed in his trouser belt.

The 16-year-old backed away but the offender and his 16-year-old accomplice attacked the teenager, reigning blows on him and forcing him to the ground.

The 17-year-old then began to repeatedly stab the boy. His friends tried to intervene and come to his aid but one of them received a stab injury to his hand. He ran away from the scene and not long after booked a flight through a travel agent and fled the country.

His 16-year-old accomplice handed himself in on the same day and was later charged with wounding.

The victim was treated for serious injuries in hospital, undergoing an operation to repair his liver. He still continues to recover from those injuries and will have lifelong effects from the attack.

The 17-year-old was arrested on 23 September after flying back to England and was charged with attempted murder.

Two teenagers jailed for more than eight years for stabbing outside a college in Birmingham

And on Monday, August 5 he was jailed for four years nine months for wounding with intent. The 16-year-old was also jailed for three years five months.

They were both served with a 10 year restraining order on the victim.

The investigating officer Detective Constable Owen Zambra, said: "We hope that the sentencing brings some closure to the teenager and his family as he continues to recover from his injuries.

"There is absolutely no excuse for this level of violence over what should have been a happy day for the victim. He was with friends, thinking of his future, going to enrol and find out about all the college had to offer.

"But the 17-year-old, who we cannot name for legal reasons, was hanging around the area intent on causing trouble.

"From a passing interaction with the victim the offender decided that his whole intent was to subject violence on this boy. He followed him and his friends after they left the college and sought him out.

"There is no excuse for his actions, carrying a knife, using a knife destroys so many lives and it is by pure luck rather than judgement that the victim is still alive.

"We wish him, his friends good luck in their future careers and hope that they feel justice has been served."

To find out more about the work we are doing to deal with knife crime you can visit our One Knife, One Life site here:

https://www.westmidlands.police.uk/police-forces/west-midlands-police/areas/campaigns/campaigns/lifeorknife/