Knife attacker, 18, who stabbed a schoolboy, 15, in a busy McDonald’s in front of shocked families and left him with a punctured lung is locked up for 32 months
- Boy was with friends at McDonald’s in Northumberland Street in Newcastle
- Friend threw food bag towards Anas Aboearab, 18, and confrontation ensued
- Aboerarab stabbed victim in the lung before chasing him out onto the street
- He has now been sentenced to 32 months at a young offenders institution
A knife-wielding attacker who stabbed and critically injured a 15-year-old schoolboy puncturing his lung in front of shocked families at a McDonald’s has been locked up for 32 months.
Anas Aboearab, 18, confronted the victim, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, after one of his friends threw a food bag at his table in the Northumberland Street McDonald’s in Newcastle on May 30 at 4.40pm.
The victim stood up and punched Aboearab when he saw him putting his hand in his pocket. He was then stabbed once in the torso before being chased onto the street.
The boy, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, was with friends in Northumberland Street McDonald’s in Newcastle on May 30 at about 4.40pm. Pictured: CCTV image of Anas Aboearab holding a knife in McDonald’s
Members of the public called an ambulance and he was found to have a one-centimetre wound to the left side of his chest with a small puncture to his lung.
Aboearab claimed he kept the knife on him ‘to cut fruit’.
The victim said: ‘I was told at the scene my condition was critical and I was very frightened by this. I had to go without friends in the ambulance and I didn’t know what was going on. Nothing like this has happened before and I was worried about my family and how they would feel.
‘At hospital I was told about my punctured lung and how serious this was. The whole incident was very frightening. As I began a physical recovery I was still in pain but wanted to get back to school and back to normal. On my first day I had a panic attack and had to go back home.
One of the friends threw a McDonald’s food bag in the direction of the table where Anas Aboearab (pictured), 18, was sitting and he came over to confront them
‘I was not sleeping and struggling mentally and I got referred for counselling.
The victim stood up and punched Aboearab when he saw him putting his hand in his pocket. He was then stabbed once in the torso before being chased onto the street. Pictured: The knife used
‘I’m nervous when I’m out with friends and I feel unsafe and come home early.
‘If other young males approach I’m very worried about what might happen.
‘I don’t know how long it will be before I go back to being relaxed when I’m out of the house.
‘I hate feeling like this. I should be enjoying myself and looking forward to the summer holidays, not having to start counselling.’
Aboearab, of Byker, Newcastle, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possessing a bladed article and was sent to a young offenders institution for 32 months.
Recorder Tom Moran told him: ‘All too often the courts see, in circumstances similar to this, that actions such as this can easily lead to somebody losing their life.
‘This has had a serious effect on the victim.’
Members of the public called an ambulance and he was found to have a one centimetre wound to the left side of his chest towards his back with a small puncture to his lung which was stitched up
The judge labelled Aboearab’s claim he had the knife on him to cut fruit ‘complete nonsense’ and said he had shown very little remorse.
Kate Barnes, defending, said: ‘He had a disadvantaged childhood and has been living independently as an asylum seeker since the age of 17 without parental support.’
Miss Barnes added that Aboearab maintains he was carrying the knife to cut fruit but does not stand by his assertion in the pre-sentence report that he acted in self-defence.
Source: Read Full Article
