Humza Hussain: Boy, 16, stabbed to death as revenge, court hears

Humza Hussain, 16, was stabbed to death in the afternoon outside his former school in Luton

A 16-year-old boy was stabbed to death in a revenge attack outside the school he had been excluded from, a court has heard.

Humza Hussain was knifed in the chest by another 16-year-old who had suffered a bloodied nose in a playground fight months earlier, prosecutors said.

Humza was attacked outside Challney High School for Boys in Luton on 8 June, and died later that day.

The defendant, who cannot be named for legal reasons, denies murder.

He also denies having a knife on Stoneygate Road in Luton on the same day.

Prosecuting counsel Richard Wright QC told Luton Crown Court that a "large and savage knife" was "driven" into Humza's chest three times.

One stab wound was about 20cm deep and almost passed through his entire body.

The attack happened between 15:30 and 15:45 BST with teachers, paramedics and members of the public all intervening

Mr Wright said the dispute between Humza and the defendant had been "festering for some time".

"There was mutual animosity that developed," he said.

"It may have begun as a petty adolescent grudge."

The jury was played CCTV footage which showed a playground fight on 7 October 2020.

The prosecutor said on one side was Humza and some of his friends and on the other was the defendant, who suffered a bloody nose, which was filmed by Humza on his phone.

As a result Humza and a friend were permanently excluded and the defendant was moved to another school.

Mr Wright said, from that point on, the defendant was "determined" to seek revenge.

Flowers were left at the site of the incident outside Challney High School for Boys

A month after that fight, Humza and his cousin were attacked by a larger group and he sustained serious injuries to his arm, but he did not press charges.

On 8 June, the 14-year-old brother of one of Humza's friends was intimidated by the defendant outside the school, Mr Wright told jurors.

The boy saw a knife in the defendant's trousers and refused to go into an alleyway with him.

The boy's older brother and Humza then turned up at the school on bikes, armed with a metal file and a small hammer.

It was alleged the older brother threw the head of the hammer at the defendant who then drew a knife.

Humza attempted to restrain the defendant by grabbing him from behind but he broke free and then lunged at Humza, stabbing him in the chest, Mr Wright said.

The jury was told the defence case was one of self-defence.

The trial continues.

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