Murder trial: Luke O'Connell stabbed in Watford

A group of men armed with a samurai sword acted "like a pack of animals" when they "hunted down" and allegedly stabbed a 26-year-old man, a court was told.

Reading Crown Court heard how Luke O’Connell “did not stand a chance” after being stabbed in the backseat of a car which had been rammed by two vehicles in Watford on August 31, 2019.

Aamir Mustafa, 22, of no fixed address, Shahnavaz Azad, 27, of no fixed address, Umar Sarfraz, 21, of Whippendell Road, Watford, Mohammed Haroon Azad, 21, no fixed address, Mohammed Hamza Shah, 20, of Hagden Lane, Watford, Hamza Azad, 23, of Nicholas Close, Watford and Mohammed Hussnain, 24, of St. Georges Road, Watford have all been charged with Mr O’Connell’s murder.

They have all also been charged with wounding with intent after allegedly stabbing a man called Ryan Higgins on the same night.

Another man, Mohammed Raja Azad, 48, of Nicholas Close, Watford, has been charged with perverting the course of justice.


https://www.watfordobserver.co.uk/news/19473792.murder-trial-luke-oconnell-stabbed-watford/





• Shahnavaz Azad, aged 29, from Watford was found guilty of murder and section 18 assault. He was sentenced to life with minimum 27 years, plus five years concurrent for the assault.

• Hamza Azad, aged 24, of Nicholas Close, Watford was found guilty of murder and section 18 assault. He was sentenced to life with minimum 22 years, plus five years concurrent for the assault.

• Aamir Mustafa, aged 24, of St Georges Road, Watford was found guilty of murder and section 18 assault. He was sentenced to life with minimum 22 years, plus five years concurrent for the assault.

• Mohammed Haroon Azad, aged 23, of Nicholas Close, Watford was found guilty of manslaughter and section 20 assault. He was sentenced to nine years for manslaughter, plus two years concurrent for the assault.

• Mohammed Hamza Shah, aged 21, of Hagden Lane, Watford was found guilty of manslaughter and section 20 assault. He was sentenced to nine years for manslaughter, plus two years concurrent for the assault.

• Umar Sarfraz, aged 23, of Whippendell Road, Watford was found guilty of manslaughter and section 20 assault. He was sentenced to nine years for manslaughter, plus two years concurrent for the assault.

• Mohammed Raja Azad, aged 50, of Nicholas Close, Watford was found guilty of perverting the course of justice. He was sentenced to 28 months.