Birmingham killer warns teens over carrying a knife

16 September 2019, 10:54

Teenagers in Birmingham are to be warned about the dangers of carrying a knife by a former schoolboy killer.

Pupils will get the opportunity to hear from convicted killer Sadam Essakhil, as part of a video project by West Midlands Police.

Essakhil was 15 when he and a friend murdered a 24-year-old man, Lukasz Furmanek, and seriously injured another with a knife taken from his kitchen drawer in Handsworth, Birmingham, in May 2015.

He was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 19 years in prison.

Essakhil, now 20, says: "It's not nice, having to live with the feeling that I've taken a life.

"Especially when you're in your cell, thinking about things, they come to haunt you."

After filming, Essakhil said: "The reason I carried a knife that evening was for my own protection. There was no intention on that day to go out and hurt anyone.

"The victim wasn't known to me and I sincerely regret what I did on that evening and always think about the victim and his family, as they will never get to see him again."

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Munro, from the force's homicide team, said: "We see the tragic effects of knife crime far too often, the devastation that it causes so many people is truly heartbreaking.

"While officers work hard with young people, we understand some do not want to listen to what we have to say.

"Sadam's message is powerful and I hope will provide some emotive thoughts and conversations amongst young people.

"We're committed to reducing violent crime across our region and we've worked closely with the Prison Service, who we're extremely grateful to for allowing us to interview Sadam and share his experiences in the hope that we can change behaviours and stop people carrying weapons."

The film is part of Operation Sceptre, a week of action by police forces across the country in an attempt to tackle knife crime.

Among other activities, knife amnesty bins will be offered across England and Wales in an attempt to encourage people to surrender their weapons.