Teenager locked up for stabbing a man in Watford
8 March 2019, 17:31 | Updated: 8 March 2019, 17:36
A teenager has been handed a seven year custodial sentence at St Albans Crown Court for stabbing a man to death in Watford.
18-year-old Risaan Udayakumar passed away in hospital on July 10 last year after being attacked in a garage at an address in the town.
The offender, who was 16 at the time of the incident and cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of manslaughter due to a loss of control on January 16, following a trial at St Albans Crown Court.
He was sentenced to seven years in a young offenders’ institution.
Statement from family of Risaan Udayakumar
“As a family we cannot put into words how completely devastated we are and how Risaan’s untimely and cruel death has impacted our lives. We have been robbed of so many dreams and memories and been left in utter shock and disbelief.
Our family is devastated and will never be the same again. Risaan leaves a gap that cannot be filled and we do not understand why this has happened to such a bright and caring young man. The most hurtful goodbyes are the ones that are never said and never expected.
Risaan was every parent’s ideal son. He was a brilliant role model to his younger twin brothers and his cousins. He was gentle, caring and respectful and was very academically talented. A former pupil of QE Barnet Grammar School, he had just finished his first year studying Civil Engineering at The University of Surrey. He wanted to help build things for this country and his dream was to build a Formula One track.
As a family we would like to thank the member of the public who was first on the scene that night. He did not have to do what he did but showed great courage to enter the house, not knowing what he was going to be confronted with and we will be forever grateful for his actions. We would also like to thank the police and medical staff for all their hard work.”
We have found the trial, verdict and reporting of the case in the media very distressing and difficult to deal with.
We did not wish to attend today’s sentencing by way of protest against what we perceive to be a weak legal team, which failed to get proper justice for our innocent son. As a grieving family, we feel that a much tougher stance is needed around knife crime to send a stronger message to society.
Risaan was very family orientated and did not believe in violence and we ask other parents to teach their children the ‘worth of life’ so that no other family has to go through the pain that we are currently suffering.”
