Teenager Gets Fifteen Years For Murder

A teenager was given a life sentence today for stabbing to death a teenager who tried to gatecrash a 16th birthday party.

Ahmed Ahmed, 17, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 15 years after being convicted at the Old Bailey of murdering Tommy Overton, 18.

Mr Overton was killed after he was turned away from the house party in east London with his brother and a group of friends in August last year.

A group of youths followed them and chased them down the road before Ahmed, then aged 16, stabbed Mr Overton through the heart.

Sentencing him to be detained at Her Majesty's pleasure, Judge Charles Wide said Mr Overton's group were running away and were no threat to Ahmed.

He told Ahmed:

 "Tommy Overton was not as nimble as the others in the group. He was attacked from behind. He turned round and fought back with his brother.  You simply ran up and stabbed him through the heart. CCTV shows an element of swaggering as you walked off and discarded the knife."

Mr Overton staggered off but was attacked again and stabbed a further six times by youths as he was dying. He managed to get home before collapsing in front of his family.

The court was told Ahmed had previous convictions including having a Swiss army knife at school and battering another pupil when he was 14, and was caught with a knuckle-duster in the street when he was 15.

Ahmed, of Stratford, east London, was being supervised by the probation service under a rehabilitation order for having drugs when he killed the teenager.

Zoe Johnson, QC, prosecuting, said the party in Colchester Road, Leyton, had attracted a large number of youngsters.

"Word spread like wildfire and the music was like a magnet, but the party atmosphere turned sour and the party turned into a nightmare," she said.

Violence broke out involving antagonism between locals and people from outside.

Miss Johnson added:

"Thomas Overton with his brother and a group of friends tried to get into the party but were refused entry. As they left and walked down the road, they were chased by a pack of youths."

Kondwani Phiri, 18, of Forest Gate, east London, was found guilty of violent disorder and given three-and-a-half years of detention.

Detective Chief Inspector Cliff Lyons said:

"This is a tragic case whereby a surprise 16th birthday party turned from celebration to despair. A number of uninvited young people became aware of the party through social media, with the loud music also proving to be a magnet for local youths.  Minor disagreements which included who was allowed or not allowed into the party escalated into a running street battle.  Thomas Overton, while fleeing from a large pack of chasing youths, was repeatedly stabbed, mainly in his back.  The young men convicted earlier and today are involved in gang culture, whereby the use and possession of a knife is accepted within their circles.  This case is a sad example of gang and knife culture amongst our youth ending in misery for all concerned."