Two teenagers and man, 23, sentenced to total of 24 years for Northampton town centre stabbing

Hamza Zaki Sharif, previously of Simons Walk, Northampton, and two 17-year-old boys – who cannot be named for legal reasons – appeared at Leicester Crown Court on Friday December 5 for sentencing.

The two 17-year-olds had previously pleaded guilty to Section 18 – grievous bodily harm and Sharif was found guilty of the same offence, following a six-day trial at Northampton Crown Court earlier this year.

The charges relate to an incident in Abington Street, near its junction with Fish Street, at around 5pm on May 19. A 17-year-old was stabbed multiple times in the abdomen and the offenders fled the scene. The victim was in a critical condition and was taken to hospital. He suffered life threatening injuries and is now continuing with his recovery.

Sentencing the defendants, Judge Harbage said that this was a “senseless and horrific attack, which was both sad and tragic for the victim who suffered very serious and life-threatening injuries”.

According to Northamptonshire Police, he continued to tell the defendants that “when you stab someone in the way you did, it is down to luck how serious or not serious those injuries are. It is only by luck that the injuries suffered were not fatal” and called the attack an “idiotic abhorration”.

Following sentencing, lead investigator - Detective Constable Georgia Sampson added: “This was a particularly brutal and entirely senseless act of violence on a young man, which took place in broad daylight in what is probably the busiest and most central street in Northampton.

“This attack could easily have had fatal consequences but thankfully, the victim is continuing with his recovery, and I hope that these sentences bring some sense of justice and relief to him and his family, who have suffered immeasurably because of the defendants’ actions.

“Sadly, we see far too often the devastating effects that knife crime can have, not only within our communities in Northamptonshire but across the UK, and as a force we continue to work with our partners to highlight the dangers of carrying a knife.

“Finally, as always it was a team effort to secure this successful conviction, and I would like to mention specific thanks to the Response officers and East Midland Ambulance crews for their medical intervention.

“I would also like to thank the Armed Response officers who arrested the defendants as well as the CCTV operators, case builders and my CID West colleagues who supported with the investigation.”

The 17-year-olds were sentenced to six years in a young offender institution for the GBH and 12 months for the possession of an offensive weapon in a public place to run concurrently.

Sharif was handed a 12-year imprisonment for the GBH and 18 months for possession of an offensive weapon to run concurrently.

All three defendants were also issued with indefinite restraining orders, prohibiting them from contacting the victim by any means.