Two jailed after Wellingborough gang revenge stabbing

Two men have been jailed after the stabbing of a 17-year-old in Wellingborough in what was described as a gang-related revenge attack.

Hassan Said, 19, formerly of South Lane, Maidstone, Kent, and Asriel McLeod, 21, formerly of Finedon Road, Wellingborough, were jailed for a total of seven years and eight months between them for attacking the teenager.

The court heard from prosecutor Henry James who said the 17-year-old was targeted at the Ock n Dough pub on Friday, May 25, 2018, by Said and McLeod.

Mr James said: “Both are gang members and the attack was retaliation for an incident in HMP Peterborough in May 2018.”

It was Said’s brother who had been attacked in prison and Said travelled from London to Wellingborough to attack the boy, with Mr James telling the court: “(They) believed him to be a member or associate of a rival gang.”

A phone call Said made to his brother shortly after the stabbing was recorded and translated from Swahili and he said: “Yo yo, are you listening? I stabbed, stabbed, stabbed him yesterday.

“I got him yesterday and I stabbed him, boy.

“Only me and A went.”

A forensic speech analyst confirmed the voice was Said.

The attack on the 17-year-old at the Ock n Dough was caught on CCTV and showed Said and McLeod running into an outdoor smoking area where the victim was standing in a group.

Mr James said: “They moved hard and fast.

“They got their victim on the ground and Said can be seen stabbing down in the chest area.

“As (the victim) staggered to get up, McLeod is seen throwing a glass.”

There were a number of other people around who ran away as the incident unfolded.

The teenager suffered an incision wound to the left side of his chest which a doctor said was consistent with a stabbing. He also had a wound to his scalp which a doctor believed was caused by glass to the head.

The victim declined to give a statement to police and Mr James said: “His reluctance to speak out shows a curious similarity to (Said’s brother).”

The court was shown recovered Snapchat footage of the incident involving Said’s brother in HMP Peterborough.

The first clip showed Said’s brother being cornered and surrounded by a number of people with laughter heard in the background. A caption read: “T.R.U Whoo???? #FreeDaK”.

In a second clip, gold teeth coverings could be seen being held on a piece of tissue and shown to the camera.

The caption said: “Someone tell ghost to come get his teeth.”

Mr James said gold teeth coverings or “grills” had been taken from Said’s brother’s mouth but no complaint had been made so the date of the attack is not certain.

Said had travelled up to Wellingborough from London to be in the area when the stabbing took place and Mr James said: “Said made a deliberate effort to conceal his involvement, leaving his traceable phone in London and disposing of his disposable phone after.”

Mr James said the fact that Said had taken a knife to the scene and stabbed to the upper chest “must be to inflict very serious injury”.

Said was jailed for five years and eight months for grievous bodily harm and a further year and eight months for possession of an offensive weapon, but the sentences will run concurrently.

Asriel McLeod was sentenced to two years for assault and affray after throwing the glass.