Teenager who stabbed friend to death after Snapchat emoji argument jailed for 15 years

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A teenager who stabbed his friend to death with a meat cleaver after a row over social media has been jailed for at least 15 years.

Abdulrahman Ali, 16, sent laughing emojis to budding actor Osman Sharif Soufi before chasing him down and killing him the following day, the Old Bailey heard.

He was named by a judge who lifted restrictions on identifying the boy because of the “huge public concern” about knife crime.

“Knife use by young people in violent attacks in London is of huge public concern,” said Judge Nicholas Hilliard QC.

“Time and again they are used to lethal effect and with devastating consequences for families of the victims.

“This was murder in broad daylight on the streets of London. You chose to carry a knife that day.”

The court heard that an argument between the pair over who was the “toughest” had escalated after starting on social media.

Ali had sent emojis depicting a laughing face during a group chat on Snapchat after Osman claimed he was the toughest in June.

Osman took offence at being mocked in front of their friends, responding with threats to “wet” (stab) Ali, give him a “drilling” (beat him up) and “rise the burning” (get a gun), according to another boy.

The following day, Ali armed himself with a 31cm knife and went to Tottenham Green to confront Osman, who was carrying a hammer.

Witnesses said the former friends – who had known each other for around two years – argued and described the defendant brandishing his knife, before they went separate ways.

But just minutes later they met in nearby Tynemouth Road and started fighting, with Ali stabbing Osman fatally in the chest.

In a victim impact statement, Osman’s older brother told how he loved football and acting, and was studying a B-Tech in performing arts.

Mohammed Abu-Bakar said: “He was always laughing and joking with friends and built strong relationships with everyone he met due to his great bubbly loving personality.”

Mr Abu-Bakar said the “extreme violence” of his brother’s murder and fact he died alone had increased the “heartbreak and trauma” to his family.

After the stabbing, Ali fled to the Broadwater Farm estate and went to his grandparents’ home and changed his clothes, the jury was told.

He was arrested after his father called police and reported his son had been in a fight.

Ali claimed it was an accident, saying that he was acting in self-defence and did not mean to seriously harm Osman, but the jury convicted him of murder and knife possession.

The teenager, whose mother had been supporting him in court, was seen hanging his head in the dock as he was jailed.

Judge Hilliard said there was a public interest in naming Ali given the “gravity of the case” and concern about knife crime, hoping that it would serve as a deterrent to others.

He acknowledged a letter from the defendant expressing his sadness and regret, but said: “Only time will tell if there is genuine and deep remorse for what you have done.”

Detective Inspector Tom Dahri, of the Metropolitan Police's homicide and major crime command said the sentence reflects the seriousness of carrying and using a knife on the streets of London.

“We believe these two teenagers became engaged in a dispute over a social media post on Snapchat the previous evening,” he added.

“This argument sadly escalated the following day resulting in a young boy tragically losing his life. Osman's family has been devastated by his loss. This incident has affected two families for the rest of their lives."

The case came amid concern over a spate of stabbings in London, where four young men were murdered during New Year’s Eve celebrations.

The number of knife crimes recorded by police has risen by 21 per cent in a year, figures released this week show, and the violence is “disproportionately concentrated” in London and other metropolitan areas.

A new offence seeing anyone caught carrying a knife twice jailed came into force in 2015 but Metropolitan Police Commissioner Cressida Dick has suggested tougher jail terms for under-18s are needed as a deterrent.

Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, has said there will be a significant increase in “targeted” stop and searches this year to combat the carrying of weapons.

Additional reporting by PA