Three teenagers have been sentenced for the savage stabbing of a 15-year-old boy in a Birmingham park. The attack, which left the victim stabbed eight times, was caught on CCTV from a nearby mosque.
The footage shows Ishfaq Ibrahim, Mohammed Hasan, and another male restraining the victim against a fence at Morris Park, Alum Rock, before repeatedly punching, kicking, and stabbing him. Idris Urfan recorded the assault on his phone from a nearby car and then drove the attackers away from the scene.
The court heard the victim was targeted simply for being in what the assailants considered “rival territory.”
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Ishfaq Ibrahim, 18, from Edmund Road, Alum Rock, was the most violent, seen stabbing the victim multiple times. He was sentenced to four years and ten months after pleading guilty to wounding with intent and possession of a bladed weapon.
A 17-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, also received a four year and ten month sentence for wounding. Mohammed Hasan, 18, of Gowan Road, Alum Rock, was sentenced to four years and five months detention after admitting wounding with intent and possession of a prohibited weapon in a separate incident involving a firearm.
Idris Urfan, 22, from Ward End, who previously worked as a bus driver, admitted assisting offenders and was sentenced to 12 months in custody.
The attack happened at 8:39 pm on March 7, 2023, and was recorded by mosque CCTV on Clodeshall Road. The victim fled the scene and sought help from a passerby who called an ambulance. He was taken to Birmingham Children’s Hospital and underwent eight hours of surgery to repair wounds to his back, shoulder, and torso.
Prosecutor Daniel White detailed how the victim was approached by the group and asked if he was from the area. Upon answering no, he was immediately set upon with knives.
The victim’s father described how his once vibrant and cheerful son now suffers from nightmares, fear of leaving the house, and has limited use of his injured arm nine months after the attack.
All four defendants were arrested shortly after the incident. In an Instagram exchange, the youngest assailant referred to the area as a “no rules warzone,” and admitted they had planned to “punch him up,” which escalated accidentally.
Sentencing Judge Paul Farrer KC noted the attack showed clear signs of pre-meditation tied to perceived territorial rivalry. Hasan was also convicted of discarding a converted blank-firing gun during a separate police incident later in May 2023.
During sentencing, Hasan’s defense cited his youth, immaturity, and undiagnosed ADHD and autism. Ibrahim’s defense highlighted his intelligence, caring nature, and supportive family background. The youngest defendant was described as having a more compassionate side, particularly toward his family.
Judge Farrer acknowledged all three attackers were dangerous but opted against extended sentences, emphasizing their youth and potential for rehabilitation. Urfan’s sentence was considered served due to time spent in custody prior to trial.