Bilal Mirza stabbing: Boy, 16, detained for eight years

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-34280301

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A 16-year-old boy has been sentenced to eight years in detention for the manslaughter of a man who was stabbed in central London.

Bilal Mirza, 18, was attacked in Salisbury Street, Marylebone, on the evening of 8 January. He died later in hospital.

The boy, who cannot be named because of his age, was sentenced at Isleworth Crown Court.

The defendant had claimed in court he had acted in self defence.

The court heard the pair knew each other but the defendant believed Mr Mirza was planning to steal money and an iPhone from him so armed himself with a knife.

The pair met on Salisbury Street at about 22:40 and during an argument the boy stabbed Mr Mirza in the thigh.

The defendant went home but later handed himself in to police.

The boy had initially claimed the knife he used, which was never recovered, was a "little tool" of 3in to 4in (7.6 cm to 10cm), police said.

But a pathologist said the fatal wound was caused by a much larger blade which was more like a kitchen knife.

During his trial, the boy claimed he had been trying to avoid Mr Mirza but prosecutors said he would have known where he was and did not try to avoid him on his journey home.

Det Sgt Michael Hamlet, from the Met Police, said: "This case demonstrates the utterly devastating effects that knives can have on London communities."