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A man has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 23 years for the murder of a young Syrian refugee after the boy passed his partner in Huddersfield town centre.

Court Hears Particulars of Deadly Confrontation

Leeds crown court learned how the defendant, aged 20, stabbed the victim, 16, soon after the teenager brushed past his companion. He was declared guilty of homicide on Thursday.

The teenager, who had escaped conflict-ridden the city of Homs after being wounded in a explosion, had been staying in the West Yorkshire town for only a couple of weeks when he encountered Franco, who had been for a jobcentre appointment that day and was going to buy cosmetic adhesive with his girlfriend.

Details of the Assault

Leeds crown court was informed that the defendant – who had consumed marijuana, cocaine, a prescription medication, an anesthetic and codeine – took “a minor offense” to the boy “harmlessly” passing by his girlfriend in the public space.

CCTV footage showed the man uttering words to Ahmad, and gesturing him closer after a brief exchange. As Ahmad approached, the individual unfolded the knife on a flick knife he was concealing in his clothing and thrust it into the victim's neck.

Verdict and Sentencing

The defendant denied murder, but was judged guilty by a jury who took a little more than three hours to decide. He confessed to possessing a knife in a public place.

While delivering the judgment on the fifth day of the week, the court judge said that upon observing the victim, the defendant “singled him out and drew him to within your reach to strike before ending his life”. He said the defendant's assertion to have noticed a knife in the boy's clothing was “untrue”.

Crowson said of Ahmad that “it is evidence to the healthcare workers trying to save his life and his desire to survive he even arrived at the hospital breathing, but in fact his injuries were unsurvivable”.

Family Impact and Message

Presenting a message prepared by the victim's uncle Ghazwan Al Ibrahim, with contributions from his mother and father, the prosecutor told the trial that the victim's parent had suffered a heart attack upon hearing the news of his boy's killing, necessitating medical intervention.

“I am unable to describe the effect of their awful offense and the effect it had over everyone,” the statement stated. “The boy's mom still weeps over his belongings as they smell of him.”

He, who said his nephew was dear to him and he felt ashamed he could not protect him, went on to explain that the teenager had thought he had found “the land of peace and the achievement of aspirations” in the UK, but instead was “brutally snatched by the pointless and random violence”.

“Being his relative, I will always feel responsible that the boy had arrived in Britain, and I could not protect him,” he said in a message after the sentencing. “Ahmad we care for you, we long for you and we will feel this way eternally.”

History of the Teenager

The proceedings was told Ahmad had made his way for three months to arrive in Britain from his home country, visiting a asylum seeker facility for teenagers in Swansea and attending college in the local college before arriving in West Yorkshire. The young man had hoped to work as a doctor, driven in part by a wish to look after his mother, who had a chronic medical issue.