Five men have been jailed for a total of 131 years for stabbing a 16-year-old boy to death in a ‘frenzied attack’.
Hani Hicham Abou El Kheir was walking through Churchill Gardens Estate, Pimlico, with his girlfriend when he was ambushed by a gang of up to 10 males.
His attackers, with their faces covered brandishing cleavers and knives, chased the former Pimlico Academy pupil through an alleyway onto Lupus Street where he was stabbed more than 20 times in what detectives described as a ‘frenzied ambush’ just before 7pm on January 27 last year.
Police found Hani with fatal stab wounds to his head, arms, legs and torso. He later died in hospital.
Ahmed Mikhaimar and Arber Barbatovci, both 20, of Pimlico, Tarquai Joseph, 19, of Maida Vale, and a 20-year-old man from Camberwell, who cannot be named for legal reasons, were each sentenced to serve a minimum of 26 years imprisonment on Friday last week (January 31).
Craig Boyce, 26, of Paddington was jailed for at least 27 years.
In a statement read to the Old Bailey, his mother Pauline Hickey described the horror of seeing her son’s battered body in hospital and said Hani had only overcome anxiety attacks to venture out on his own two months before his death. She disregarded earlier claims that Hani was involved in gangs saying he had never been arrested or involved with police.
She said: “Hani was my only child. I pine for him every day and I cannot come to terms with the fact that I will never again see his warm, beautiful smile or his awkward walk or hear his childish voice and explosive laugh.”
Detective Chief Inspector Neil Attewell, of the Homicide and Major Crime Command, said: “It is the causal acceptance of knives among young people that has led to the needless loss of yet another young person in London.”
Donjeta Gashi, 20, of Kentish Town, was found guilty of one count of perverting the course of justice. She has been bailed before being sentenced at a later date.
Yassine Sidi-Ammi, 19, of Pimlico, was cleared of perverting the course of justice.
Scotland Yard is offering a £20,000 reward for information leading to the identification and prosecution of others believed to be involved in Hani’s murder.
Anyone with information should call 020 8345 3715 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 .
