A teenager who used a relative’s ID to purchase nearly 80 knives online before stabbing a man to death has been sentenced to life in prison.
The judge o Monday (20) lifted reporting restrictions to allow 17-year-old Rayis Nibeel to be named alongside 18-year-old Umer Choudhury for the murder of 38-year-old Omar Khan, who was stabbed to death in Luton last year. A second victim was left with life-changing injuries.
In the early hours of 16 September last year, Khan and the woman met with the teenagers behind Sundon Park Parade, where they were selling drugs.
An argument between the two groups escalated to a violent confrontation, in which the victims were stabbed multiple times. Emergency services attended the scene, and Khan was pronounced dead an hour later.
Following a three-week trial at Guildford Crown Court, Nibeel and Choudhury were found guilty of Khan’s murder as well as causing grievous bodily harm. The pair also pleaded guilty to several drugs and weapons offences.
Detectives from the Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, and Hertfordshire major crime unit identified the two teenagers as the perpetrators through CCTV, forensic, and phone evidence. T
he investigation also revealed that Nibeel had spent more than £1,200 illegally ordering a variety of weapons online, including swords and machetes, in the nine months leading up to the murder.
The court heard how Nibeel created a customer account in an older relative’s name to bypass security checks and make the age-restricted purchases. He later admitted one of these knives was the one he had with him on 16 September.
Last Friday (17), both Nibeel and Choudhury were sentenced to life in prison for murder at St Albans Crown Court. Nibeel, of Butely Road, Luton, was ordered to serve a minimum term of 20 years behind bars. He was also sentenced to seven and a half years for GBH and two years for drug offences, to run concurrently.
Choudhury, of Tulip Close, Luton, will serve a minimum term of 18 years. He was also sentenced to six and a half years for GBH and two years and nine months for drug offences, to run concurrently.
Major crime detective inspector Justine Jenkins, who led the investigation, said: “It is also deeply concerning that anyone would intentionally elude the mechanisms in place to stop harmful weapons getting into the hands of young people - the devastating circumstances of this case further affirm the need for such robust systems.
“We remain committed to working with retailers to ensure proper processes are implemented and address any concerns brought to our attention. We will also continue our efforts to remove dangerous weapons from our streets through weapon sweeps and other proactive measures, with the aim of preventing future tragedies.”
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)