Jail for two teenagers who stomped and stabbed 17-year-old nine times in Northampton gangland attack

Two 'dangerous' gangland teenagers who attacked a 17-year-old in a Northampton neighbourhood and stabbed him at least nine times have been jailed.

The shocking attack in Blackthorn in February 2019 saw six men surround the teenage victim before punching him to the floor, kicking him and stomping on him.

The brutal assault ended when the six young men "took turns" slashing at the victim with a knife, inflicting as many as nine stab wounds.

Now, two of the gang of attackers have been jailed for the savage attack.

At Northampton Crown Court yesterday (November 20), Derek Harris, 18, from Corby, and Oshayne Spencer, 20, of Corby, were both ruled as 'dangerous' by the judge and locked up for nine years each.

It comes on the same day Harris was sentenced for his role in a terrifying kidnapping he committed 11 months later while on bail for the stabbing.

His Honour Judge David Herbert said: "On the face of it there was no reason for it... But this was gang related violence.

"He was repeatedly stabbed - once in the neck, repeatedly in the leg and once in the chest."

The attack in Blackthorn close to midnight on February 18, 2019, began when the six gang members reportedly took a taxi from the Jekyll & Hyde pub in Northampton out to Waingrove, where they pulled on face coverings and hoods before climbing out the car.

At the neighbourhood, the 17-year-old victim left his house when he thought he heard his friends outside - only to be set on by the gang of six.

There they shoved him down between two cars before they all laid into him with punches, kicks and stomps.

The victim later told police: "I heard one of them say 'oi don't stab him'. Then I felt a sharp pain in my leg.

"One of them would stab, then they stepped back, then another stabbed me and then stepped back, and then another. It was like they were taking it in turns."

The gang broke up and ran after stabbing at their victim at least nine times. He was left to carry himself to a friend's house where the police were called.

Harris and Spencer were found by a police helicopter later that night a mile from the scene. Two combat knives were also recovered nearby.

Although six young men were eventually charged with the attack, only Harris and Spencer have been prosecuted.

The court also heard how the attack in Blackthorn was carried out in a misguided, kneejerk response to the murder of Reece Ottaway two weeks before.

Reece Ottaway was murdered at his flat in Cordwainer House, St James, in an attack by five young men who thought they could rob him for £30,000 of drugs and money. They left with an iPhone and a £10 note.

Although Reece was not in a gang, the court heard how the attack in Blackthorn was carried out by one Northampton gang lashing out at someone they thought was connected to the death. They were mistaken - meaning the stabbing in Blackthorn was essentially for no reason.

At Harris and Spencer's sentencing yesterday, Northampton Crown Court heard the attack in Blackthorn was the result of gangs lashing out at one another over the death.

In sentencing, Judge Herbert said: "The victim did not make an impact statement. But his father did - and his closing thoughts were that his last memory of that night in February were of his son saying 'don't let me die, dad'.

"This was a severe attack committed by a large group armed with weapons. If you are prepared to carry weapons like this you are prepared to use them to do serious injury."

Spencer and Harris - who were 18 and 16 respectively at the time of the attack - were deemed "dangerous" by the judge, and jailed for nine years each.

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story incorrectly gave Reece Ottaway's name as David. We would like to offer our sincere apologies to Mr Ottaway and the family for this error.