Sidali Mohamed murder: Louai Ali jailed for stabbing student outside college

A boy has been jailed for life after being convicted of murdering a student outside a college in Birmingham.

Louai Ali, 17, was found guilty of fatally stabbing Sidali Mohamed outside the gates of Joseph Chamberlain College in Highgate on 13 February.

During the trial, Ali said the 10in zombie knife used to kill Sidali, 16, was bought for £50 through Instagram.

Ali was also convicted of wounding with intent and unlawful wounding and jailed for a minimum of 19 years.

During evidence, it was heard that Ali went to the college armed with the knife after his friend and cousin had been encountering issues with a group of boys.

Sentencing Ali, Judge Mark Wall QC said the teenager "habitually carried knives" and at the time of the murder had been on bail for a previous offence.

The court heard Ali and a friend "chased a lone man" and cornered Russell Molloy in December.

Judge Mark Wall QC said Louai Ali "did not have a particularly easy upbringing"

Mr Molloy was stabbed through his arm - although the prosecution said it was not Ali who injured the victim.

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The judge described the murder weapon as fearsome

Speaking about Sidali's murder, Judge Wall said: "You deliberately went to his college armed with a fearsome knife with intent of stabbing him.

"It had a long blade which was split in two. It was a weapon which was obviously, potentially lethal.

"You bought it because in your words 'It looked cool.'"

Judge Wall had previously lifted reporting restrictions, which normally ban the media from naming defendants aged under 18, in the interests of "open justice".

He said it was in the public interest to identify Ali due to the serious nature of the offences.