A Paddington Academy schoolboy who killed his schoolfriend following a tragic 'play fight' with knives was jailed for two years today.
Youssif Drissi 16, of Bruckner Street, stabbed his 14-year-old friend Amro Elbadawy in the neck as they fought just yards from his home on the Mozart Estate, in Queen's Park.
Both boys were pupils at Paddington Academy in Marylands Road, North Paddington.
At the Old Bailey today, Judge Timothy Pontius sentenced Drissi to two years at a young offenders' institution.
He has already served 211 days in custody, and could be freed in just five months.
On March 27 last year, the boys were riding around the Queen's Park area on bikes when the scuffle broke out.
Christopher Hehir, prosecuting, said a witness had seen Drissi pulling out a small kitchen knife and stabbing Amro in the leg 'as a joke'.
Amro ran home, returning with at least one more knife, and told Drissi: "I'm not joking around."
Mr Hehir said: "They were seen by two witnesses. They say that the defendant and Amro were both carrying knives. They were jabbing at each other with the knives, but not connecting."
Amro began chasing Drissi down the street, and when he caught up with him, Drissi dealt a fatal blow to his friend's neck with the knife.
The stab wound passed through a major artery and punctured Amro's lung.
Drissi was originally charged with murder but admitted manslaughter last month.
Orlando Pownall QC, defending, said: "The reason why the two friends fell out is because there had been play fighting earlier which resulted in unintended injury to the deceased. He did not intend really serious bodily harm. Amro's nickname was 'Lionheart'. He was a very aggressive young man."
Judge Timothy Pontius said: "This is a tragic case. This tragedy was wholly unforeseen and unplanned. Amro was a close friend, you had known him for years. Neither that day nor any other day would you wish him any harm, still less death.
"Amro had a background which reflects a capacity for violent behaviour, but a human life was lost needlessly at your hands."
Amro leaves behind his father Sabri, mother Mervat, and six brothers and sisters.
