An unnamed 18-year-old Australian teenager was sentenced to 12 years in prison for the murder of his friend after pleading guilty to the offense. Reportedly, the suspect said during court that he was "addicted to stabbing" due to past traumatic events he had endured and that stabbing others was "joyful."
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According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the teenager, who remains anonymous because he committed the murder when he was 17, stabbed 19-year-old Abddullahi Ahmed Iyow on May 17, 2024. It was revealed during the teenager's sentencing hearing, as per ABC, that the suspect had become enraged after Ahmed Iyow damaged his phone, which had all his drug dealing contracts in it.
Initially, the suspect assaulted Ahmed Iyow and threw him to the ground. However, he then helped him get back up. Then, by using a hunting knife, the teenager stabbed Ahmed Iyow three times in the abdomen. The victim was transported to a local hospital and underwent surgery. Unfortunately, one month later, he succumbed to his injuries.
In court, Justice Rebecca Treston said that the suspect had stabbed Ahmed Iyow, who was his friend, in "virtually unprovoked circumstances."
"It could hardly be considered to have provoked your response. [The victim] was on the ground when you repeatedly stabbed him," Treston said. "You inflicted violence when the victim did not fight back."
It was revealed in court through a pre-sentence report, as per ABC, that the teenager stabber found fighting "entertaining," and stabbing people "more joyful." He also added, "I was addicted to stabbing because of my past trauma."
A 'Huge Mistake'
The court also learned that the teenager was a cannabis and prescription medication user. Reportedly, he was intoxicated at the time of the murder. Additionally, he was also diagnosed with a severe conduct disorder. The suspect would apologize to the victim's family through his lawyer, saying, "I made a huge mistake."
Ahmed Iyow's family shared a statement, saying, "Since that day, our lives have been shattered." They described the victim as a "vibrant teenager with his whole life ahead of him." The family added that the teenager stole his future and that he acted "callous and cowardly."
"All this suffering and trauma was for this killers' careless actions," they added. "The horror of what we endured ... has inflicted permanent wounds on our hearts."
The teenager was supposed to be sentenced last week. However, a 22-year-old man stabbed him with a pen in the back, as per The Sydney Morning Herald. One of Ahmed Iyow's brothers was charged with assault in connection with the incident. This was taken into account for the teenager's sentencing.
The unnamed 18-year-old was sentenced to 12 years in prison, He will be forced to serve 70% of his sentence in detention.
