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A individual has been sentenced to life with a minimum term of 23 years for the homicide of a young Syrian refugee after the boy walked by his companion in Huddersfield town centre.

Trial Hears Details of Fatal Confrontation

The court in Leeds was told how the defendant, twenty, knifed the victim, 16, shortly after the teenager brushed past his companion. He was convicted of homicide on last Thursday.

The victim, who had escaped conflict-ridden the city of Homs after being hurt in a blast, had been staying in the West Yorkshire town for only a short period when he crossed paths with Franco, who had been for a meeting at the job center that day and was going to buy eyelash glue with his partner.

Particulars of the Assault

Leeds crown court learned that Franco – who had consumed weed, a stimulant drug, diazepam, ketamine and a painkiller – took “a trivial issue” to the teenager “harmlessly” going past his girlfriend in the road.

CCTV footage showed the defendant making a remark to Ahmad, and summoning him after a short verbal altercation. As Ahmad approached, Franco opened the blade on a switchblade he was holding in his trousers and thrust it into the victim's neck.

Verdict and Judgment

The accused refuted the murder charge, but was found guilty by a trial jury who deliberated for just over three hours. He confessed to carrying a blade in a public place.

While handing Franco his sentence on last Friday, the presiding judge said that upon observing the victim, Franco “identified him as a target and drew him to within your proximity to strike before taking his life”. He said his statement to have spotted a blade in the boy's clothing was “untrue”.

The judge said of the teenager that “it is a testament to the medical personnel attempting to rescue him and his will to live he even arrived at the hospital breathing, but in fact his wounds were unsurvivable”.

Family Impact and Statement

Reading out a message prepared by Ahmad’s uncle the family member, with input from his parents, Richard Wright KC told the judges that the teenager’s father had suffered a heart attack upon being informed of his child's passing, leading to an operation.

“I am unable to describe the impact of their awful offense and the impact it had over all involved,” the testimony said. “The boy's mom still weeps over his belongings as they carry his scent.”

Ghazwan, who said the boy was as close as a child and he felt ashamed he could not keep him safe, went on to state that Ahmad had thought he had found “a peaceful country and the fulfilment of dreams” in the UK, but instead was “tragically removed by the senseless and unprovoked act”.

“In my role as his uncle, I will always carry the guilt that Ahmad had arrived in Britain, and I could not ensure his safety,” he said in a message after the verdict. “Dear Ahmad we care for you, we yearn for you and we will feel this way eternally.”

History of the Teenager

The proceedings learned the victim had travelled for a quarter of a year to arrive in Britain from his home country, staying at a asylum seeker facility for young people in the Welsh city and going to school in the Welsh city before relocating to Huddersfield. The teenager had aspired to be a physician, inspired partially by a desire to care for his mom, who had a chronic medical issue.