A teenager has been jailed for life after he attacked and stabbed a man to death 'in a case of mistaken identity.'
Emergency services found Hiwa Ali-Khani after police were called around 6.45pm on July 8 to Raikes Road in Preston following reports of an assault. Mr Ali-Khani was found with a stab wound to the chest.
He was taken to Royal Preston Hospital after being treated by paramedics but tragically died later on. A post-mortem examination said the stab wound to the chest was the result of his death.
A murder inquiry was quickly launched, leading to a number of arrests by police. It was later discovered that Joshua Boardman had approached Mr Ali-Khani while he was sat in the back of a black Audi car. Believing that Mr Ali-Khani was another man, who he suspected had sent messages to one of his friends - a teenage girl.
Boardman made his way into the car and began arguing with Mr Ali-Khani before they both got out and continued the confrontation on the street. During the confrontation, Boardman stabbed Mr Ali-Khani to the elbow, leg, and chest before he collapsed.
Boardman was arrested that evening, being found close to the scene, and later charged with murder. He pleaded guilty to the offence, as well as to possession of a bladed article and was handed a life sentence which he must serve a minimum of 14 years and seven months.
Det Ch Insp Mark Haworth-Oates, of Lancashire Police’s Force Major Investigation Team, said: “Mr Ali-Khani’s death was shocking, tragic and wholly avoidable – he was simply going about his normal daily life when he was attacked for no reason, in a case of mistaken identity.
“The man who Boardman intended to attack was sat nearby in his own vehicle – he witnessed the stabbing and went to the aid of the victim. Although he didn’t realise it at the time, he was watching what could have been his own murder, unfold before him.
“Once again this investigation shows the devastating impact that knife crime has. The incident lasted for less than a minute, but the consequences are felt far and wide. Mr Ali-Khani’s family will never get over losing him – a pain which is even more acute given that he had done absolutely nothing wrong. The family and friends of Boardman have also had their lives changed – all a consequence of the decision that he made to take a knife onto the street and carry out an attack.
“Thankfully, the evidence in the case was overwhelming and he pleaded guilty, which at least spares Mr Ali-Khani’s family the ordeal of listening to upsetting and distressing evidence at trial.
“We welcome the sentence handed down at court today. It will understandably never be enough for Mr Ali-Khani’s family, they have lost their loved one in the most appalling of circumstances and now have to live with that void in their lives. Our thoughts remain with them at this very sad and difficult time.”
In a statement made by his family, Mr Ali-Khani was described as a "decent person, with a good personality". It reads: "Hiwa was a decent person, with a good personality and he believed that everyone was good. He was a very optimistic person and had lots of plans and desires for the future. He was hoping to get married, and he was telling us about the names that he would like to give to his children.
“Hiwa’s murder not only shocked us but damaged our lives forever. He was an innocent person who was killed in a very brutal way. His murderer not only buried Hiwa’s beautiful wishes and aspirations but the laughs, happiness, and beauty of our lives with it.”
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