Teenagers jailed for life for Luton double stabbing

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 yesterday (Monday) 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, Mr 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 Mr Khan was pronounced dead an hour later.

Following a three-week trial at Guilford Crown Court, Nibeel and Choudhury were found guilty of Mr Khan’s murder as well as causing grievous bodily harm (GBH). 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.

The 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.

On Friday (17 May), 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: “With one life lost and numerous more irreversibly impacted, this case serves as a sobering reminder of the destruction carrying and using knives can cause.

“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.”

For information on the county's new anti-knife crime campaign visit ‘Just Drop It’.