Luton teen Humza Hussain murdered outside school in revenge stabbing with 'large and savage knife', court told

A 16-year-old boy was murdered in broad daylight in a busy street outside a Luton school, a jury was told today (Monday).

Humza Hussain was stabbed three times in an attack by another 16-year-old who had armed himself with a “large and savage knife".

It was an act of revenge by the defendant who had suffered a bloodied nose in a fight months earlier, Luton Crown Court heard.

The 16-year-old denies murdering Humza Hussain on June 8 this year. He also denies having a knife on Stoneygate Road, Luton on the same day.

Prosecutor Richard Wright QC told the jury of 10 men and 2 women the knife was “driven” into Humza’s chest three times.

Members of the public, paramedics, teachers and staff from Challney High School for Boys all intervened following the stabbing, which happened between 3.30pm and 3.45pm. Humza was taken to hospital where he died shortly after 6pm that evening.

Mr Wright said: “They were devastating and ultimately unsurvivable injuries. There is no doubt Humza was killed by the defendant. He was using a large and savage-looking knife he had hidden in his clothing.”

He went on: “The dispute between them (Humza and the defendant) had been festering for some time. There was mutual animosity that developed. It is not easily identified and may relate to insults on social media. It may have begun as a petty adolescent grudge that developed.”

The jury was played CCTV footage from the school which recorded a playground fight behind some goalposts eight months earlier on October 7, 2020.

The prosecutor said on one side was Humza Hussain and some of his friends and on the other was the defendant. As a result the defendant suffered a bloody nose, which was filmed by Humza on his phone.

As a result Humza and a friend were permanently excluded from the school and the defendant was moved to another school.

“From this point on the defendant was determined to exact some sort of revenge on Humza Hussain and his friend,“ said Mr Wright.

Exactly a month after the fight, on November 7, 2020, Humza was in Chaul End Park in the town with a cousin when they were attacked by a larger group. The defendant was alleged to have told a youth, who was armed with a knife, to “shank” Humza who suffered serious injuries to his arm. The defendant was repeatedly instructing Humza to say “sorry”.

The prosecutor said: “He had received a bloody nose in a fight at school and had lost face in the eyes of his peers.” Humza was not prepared to press charges for the November attack, he said.

On the day of the killing, June 8 this year, it was alleged the defendant was outside Challney School for Boys on a bike where he was seen intimidating the 14-year-old brother of one of Humza’s friends.

The younger boy saw a knife in his trousers and refused to go with the defendant into an alleyway. Teachers challenged the defendant, who said he was looking for a cousin. The 14-year-old boy was taken back into school.

The boy made a call to his older brother, who turned up outside at the school with Humza.

They had both arrived on bikes. Humza brought with him a metal file from his father’s shed. The other boy had with him a small hammer that was in two parts.

Mr Wright said: “The stabbing was witnessed by many members of the public. It was a fast-moving event."

The older brother is alleged to have thrown the head of the hammer at the defendant, who drew out his knife. Humza is said to have grabbed the defendant from behind in an attempt to restrain him.

“After he broke free he lunged at Humza Hussain and stabbed him repeatedly to his chest,” said Mr Wright.

The defendant was arrested at his home in Luton. He was taken to hospital and shouted “p***y” when he saw the other youth who had thrown the hammer head at him.

The jury was told the defence case is one of self-defence.

Case proceeding