Teenage twins jailed after 16-year-old boy killed

Twins Athif and Althaf Hussaindeen were jailed at Luton Crown Court on Tuesday

Twin teenage brothers have been jailed for the killing of a 16-year-old boy.

Athif Hussaindeen, 18, was given a minimum custodial term of 24 years after being convicted of murdering Ashraf Habimana by a judge at Luton Crown Court on Tuesday.

His brother Althaf Hussaindeen was given a seven-year minimum term after being convicted of manslaughter. The brothers are from Luton.

Ashraf, who was born in Bradford but had spent most of his life in Luton, died after being stabbed on Nunnery Lane on 29 September last year.

Judge Michael Simon had imposed restrictions that had prevented proceedings from being reported.

He relaxed those restrictions after hearing arguments from the BBC on Tuesday.

After jailing the twins, the judge said Ashraf’s life had been “tragically cut short” in a way that was “all too familiar”.

And he issued a warning about the dangers of carrying knives.

'Lives not knives'

He urged everyone working with young people to promote the message "lives not knives".

His message was echoed after the hearing by detectives.

The court had earlier heard that violence involving a number of youths had broken out in a pub car park in Luton on the day Ashraf was attacked.

The judge said Ashraf had been unarmed and had tried to get away, but he had been punched by Althaf and then stabbed by Athif.

Althaf had also kicked Ashraf when he was on the floor, the judge added.

Another 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named in media reports, was stabbed and badly injured.

The judge said he could not mend Ashraf’s family’s “broken hearts”.

Athif had admitted trying to buy a “Zombie” knife prior to the incident that led to Ashraf’s death, said the judge.

He had carried a knife strapped to a leg, which was covered by two pairs of “joggers”.

Ashraf Habimana was described by his family as a "remarkable young man"

Ashraf’s devastated mother, Fiona Namusoke, 40, spoke lovingly about her son in court.

“He had the ability to bring joy to everyone,” she told the judge.

“Ashraf would have grown up and had a family himself.

“That can never happen now.”

Ms Namusoke said the people responsible for his death had shown “no remorse”.

She added: “I have watched them laughing, joking, smiling.”

Ms Namusoke said, after the hearing that she was setting up a foundation in his memory.

“On 29 September 2023, my loving, caring, calm and extraordinary son was senselessly robbed of his life," she said in a statement released by police.

“He was our hope for the future with his whole life ahead of him."

She said his family was going to create the Ashraf Habimana Foundation.

"Our slogan is ‘Don’t destroy a life. Destroy the knife’, and we will be creating awareness on the dangers of knife crime in our community," she said.

"Ashraf was loved and cared for by so many. He had a huge impact on all those who knew him, and we will always remember his bright smile and happy face.”

'Unimaginable heartbreak'

Detective Inspector Graham Newton, who led the investigation, added:

"Ashraf was only 16 years old when he was murdered, after he was brought into something he had no active part in.

“Our sympathies today are with his family. They are now dealing with unimaginable heartbreak and suffering, while everyone who was in the area when this incident happened will carry it with them for the rest of their lives.

“An incident that started off as a fight after school escalated quickly after videos began circulating on social media, which ultimately led to this tragedy."

He added: “So many young people are taking to social media platforms to showcase their knives, without understanding the lifelong and heartbreaking impact they have.

“Knives destroy lives, as the two people sentenced today have found out, with them now facing significant prison sentences for their role in Ashraf’s murder.”

The judge has overseen two trials in the months following Ashraf's death.

He had barred reporting until the second trial ended - to ensure that jurors were not influenced by media reports.

Athif and Althaf Hussaindeen were convicted after a trial, and both entered a not guilty plea.

Police said three other young men had been sentenced in relation to the case:

Timone Crossman, 18, was found guilty of violent disorder and possession of a bladed article, and was sentenced to 18 months' imprisonment.

Two 16-year-old boys had also been given detention and training orders.

One was convicted of violent disorder, another of violent disorder, and possession of a blade article.