Islington man jailed after boy, 16, stabbed in Holborn

Ryan Maqsood, 26, of Liverpool Road in Islington, was jailed for 27 years at the Old Bailey on August 18, although reporting restrictions were in place until now.

It came after police were called to Brookes Court in Holborn on April 15, 2019, where a 16-year-old boy was found with multiple stab wounds.

A member of the public provided first aid before the teenager was rushed to hospital in a life-threatening condition.

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A trawl of CCTV by police showed that the 16-year-old had been attacked by a group of seven people on push bikes.

It was suspected that this was a ride-out attack linked to street gangs in Islington.

Two of the attackers appeared to have chased down the victim, stabbing him a total of 19 times.

A pair of Rambo-style knives, with the victim’s DNA on the blade, was found inside a backpack hidden in bushes.

Maqsood’s DNA was found on one of the knives and on the backpack, which was seen on CCTV being worn by one of the attackers.

Police have said that a drill track performed by Maqsood under the name of ‘Rashy’ appeared to describe the stabbing in significant detail, including references that would only have been known to someone present during the attack.

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Maqsood was ultimately jailed for 27 years with a further five on licence after being convicted of attempted murder and possession of a bladed weapon.

Detective Sergeant Katy Phipps, who led the investigation, said: “Maqsood carried out a brutal attack on a 16-year-old boy which left him in a life threatening condition after suffering 19 stab wounds. He is extremely lucky not to have succumbed to his injuries.

“The evidence we gathered during this investigation left the jury with no doubt as to his guilt, despite the fact the victim did not wish to assist police.

“The drill music recovered from Maqsood’s phone included very specific details that we believe could only have been known to someone who was there when the incident took place.”