A SCHOOLBOY who murdered a father-of-three and then videoed his own face on a mobile phone as he bragged “eyes of a killer” has been caged for life.
Andrew Smith who was 15 at the time - and had been at school just hours earlier - was told he must serve at least 13 years before he can be considered for release.
Smith and 18-year-old Jason Bolton had gone out on a 'night of fun' intending to inflict violence on anyone they came across in the street.
Reporting restrictions were lifted after an application by the M.E.N.
They first targeted one man who managed to fight them off but minutes later spotted 28-year-old Asaf Mahmood Ahmed as he walked to a local shop in Bolton with just £1 in his pocket.
It is believed the evil pair chased him behind a local Labour club and as he tried to take refuge through the fire door, knocked him to the ground where he was punched, kicked and stamped on.
Mr Ahmed, who had three children - two sons and a daughter aged between four and nine - tried to use his asthma inhaler but it was kicked from his hands before the pair ran off.
But seconds later they returned to the scene and Bolton attacked him again before Mr Ahmed died from an acute asthma attack triggered off by the violence.
At Manchester Crown Court Smith, who is now 16 and Bolton were convicted of Mr Ahmed’s brutal murder.
Bolton was also given a life sentence by Mr Justice MacDuff who told him he must serve a minimum of 17 years before the parole board can decide if he should be freed.
The judge told them: “I have read the impact statement from Mr Ahmed’s sister and I understand the pain and distress visited on his family by these events.
Unimaginable
“Their grief is unimaginable at the loss of a kind and loving member of their family.”
The judge said the attack was “wicked” and was motivated by a desire by both defendants to inflict pain and suffering on a vulnerable, slightly-built and helpless victim.
“You both undoubtedly intended to cause him grievous injury indeed and to get pleasure from doing so. Neither of you has shown remorse and your actions were callous, unprovoked and lacking in humanity.”
Although the judge accepted the attack was not racially motivated, he told Bolton: “I have no doubt the pleasure you derived at the time of the assault was heightened because the victim was Asian,”
After leaving Mr Ahmed on the floor behind the Derby Ward Labour Club on Deane Road, Bolton, just a few days before Christmas last year the pair left the scene and just an hour later Smith filmed his face on his mobile as he bragged with pride “eyes of a killer“.
The seven-second long film was later found by detectives investigating the attack and was shown to the jury before the defendants were both convicted of the evil murder.
Afterwards Mr Ahmed’s family issued a heart-rending statement revealing their personal thoughts about him and the murder.
“Asaf was a quiet, private man who wouldn’t harm anyone. He was a good son, brother, husband and father to his three children,” they said.
“We are not a family without him, something is missing. Asaf’s three children will grow up without a father, his two sons without a role model in their life.
“We have to learn to live without Asaf as the head of our family. We will miss him every day of our lives. Now we have a slight peace of mind and there is some closure but it is always going to be there in our thoughts. This is never going to go away because we think about it every single day. Part of us is missing. You can’t put it into words.”
Both Smith and Bolton had been drinking before strolling through the streets of Bolton looking for trouble. They first picked on another man, Mark Hampson but he was too big and strong and escaped unhurt but seconds later they spotted Mr Ahmed who was just 5ft 5in tall and weighed only seven stone.
The prosecution accepted that the attack on him was not racially motivated but after sentencing the senior investigating officer Andy Tattersall said undoubtedly the assault had racial overtones. “This was a really tragic incident in which an innocent man lost his life during an unprovoked assault. He was attacked for no reason as he walked to a shop.”
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I wish all thuggish kids (and there are many) like these 2 subhuman wastes of skin would get similar sentences.
"A Person Isn't Safe Anywhere These Days"
If we controlled these kids from a early age this monster would not be in prison now .Its time to stop this liberal experiment in britain and return to corporal punishment and a death sentence to deter killers .We are allowing our children to become killers and out of control.BLAME OUR POLITICIANS FOR THESE PEOPLE.
13 years for this evil monster. So he'll be out by the time he's 28 (or probably sooner when the do gooders get hold of the case)
The sooner we bring back corporal and capital punishment, the better it will be for all decent people
More and more people are asking for these powers to be brought bback but nobody is taking notice "Typical british way" Bury their heads until its too late,but if nothing is done soon we will get back to vigilanties roaming the streets handing out their own brand of policing ...And i for one would not blame them ..somebody has to proptect the innocent people of britain.Just look at the speed camera guys who burn and destroy the speed cameras.?
why bother to say "jailed for life"when the truth is far different.
Evil is evil,scum are scum.It is an awful fact that we all have to work to keep this piece of waste in prison.It would be a shame if we were to infringe his human rights.However to qualify for Human Rights protection is not the basic qualification to be Human.This low life is certainly not.
My thoughts go out to the family.
They should be executed. It's a cold blooded cowardly murder commited by street scum that does not deserve to live.
You forfeit human rights when you commit human wrongs!
A Rope, gallows and a public execution is what these sub-humans deserve!
Thoughts and regards to the grieving family.
In my opinion the rise of these feral scumbag kids is partly due to the material they are subjected to in the media and popular culture. Violent computer games, gangsta rap, films. Until these are properly censored or just banned, violence will remain an aspiration for these souless, awful kids. Parental relationships and fear of punishment are also a factor to eradicating people like Andrew Smith.
throw away the key, another one from the planet of the apes.
The term "caged for life" is inaccurate. Andrew Smith has received a life licence and will have to report to the authorities (probation service) for the remainder of his life. But he is only to be caged for a maximum of 13 years providing he doesn't do anything unruly during his period of detention. Why can you not explain this correctly? It is not beyond the wit of your readers to understand the difference.
As a seperate issue the "caged period" is totally inadequate in this case. He should leave detention horizontally in a box.
Last Pint of Holts, you are so right and this is exactly how i feel, the minute you disregard the law of the land you immediatly lose your right to human rights and all that it brings. Therefore, these people should be "put down" this is the only way to make these types of "people" think twice before acting in such a way. We have to bring back corporal punishment, as we are clearly not winning the fight against the thugs at the moment. My thoughts are with this poor victim and his family.
I work in youth offending and this is just another agency which is failing. Staff aren't trained...they are called 'officers' but I would say they are not 'officers' they are 'workers'. JYB issued practice guidelines, policies and procedures but Managers don't follow them. If you say anything they close rank. There is no accountability and responsibility for everything is just 'buck passed'. How many more victims are there going to be?
For every murder,Rape,Or other disgusting crime "PUT THE BLAME DIRECTLY AT THE POLITICIANS DOOR" They refuse to listen to the people of britain they would rather listen to the law makers of europe "Who pay them inflated incomes at the price of every Crime commited in britain in the name of ""HUMAN RIGHTS"" Vote any government out who refuses to re-instate corporal punishment into our schools ect and the death penalty back for Murder.REAL LAWS ARE NEEDED,and enforced
Some people see the light and some never do, some you can help some you cant. It should be easy to get someone on your side with a bit of trust and taking your time putting people in the right direction and letting them know someone cares and learning to have a mutual respect.
Most humans have a natural ability and they don’t need training in the fundamentals of on how to do something.
The problem may be that its all a bit robotic.
The biggest problem with morons like these two is that they know, if there are under 16 if you try to defend yourself and get the better of them, they can claim you attacked them. I had this happen to me when I tried to stop three thugs breaking into a shop in Whitefield. I was surround by the three of them and when I tried to defend myself I was hit in the face with a ball bearing gun.
When the police did arrest them,they told the police I had attscked them. It was only by the intervention of my local counciler that the charges against me were dropped.
After that incident and the way I was treated by the police, I will not be getting involved again. These kids are less than human and are convinced that the world owes them respect.If you want respect you have to earn it.
I would also like to say that not all kids are the same, the majoriy of todays kids are great, it depends on how they were brought up . Look at the parents before you judge the kids
VinoTinto: I agree they must think that when "Game over" you can just restart again.
I also believe that Hollywood has a lot to do with it, when you see Sly Stallone and others like him, (the hard men on film) getting hit with a chair over the back of the head and getting up again, kids see this as normal as they don't have the intelligence to realise it isn't
Its a shame the first man didn't beat the fight out of them. I know I certainty would have.
There is no consequences for the offenders, the younger the teenager the more he gets away with. Then it's a matter of re-abilitating...
These youngers know what's wrong and what right. If they haven't learnt it at home they will have learnt the basics at school, why all the special treatment after they have taken a life?
A community cannot function effectively amidst a humans who behave like a pack of wild animals. These offenders don't realise that they need society but society doesn't need them....
Well what a surprise! Evil chav mentality as usual. Bet their scrotey parents are really proud of them!
All that can be said has been said in the MEN comment column about this evil pair of scum. Lets hope that at the end of the ridiculous minimum sentences handed down to them by the Court the parole board refuse to release them from prison and that they remain in prison for a lot longer. Whats the betting that they will appeal against either the conviction or the sentence or both which will be funded by the tax-payer through legal aid.
Something has to be done....
There is SCUM walking our streets, they might look like children, teenagers, but these are not children, they are mindless, out of control louts, who have no fear of authority, and are fully aware, they can and will, get away with murder.
Andrew Smth, probably believed, because of his age, he would receive only a community sentence, (should he get caught). Sadly, this reflects, what most of these louts believe and this why, they will continue to commit terrible crimes, which should be punishable, with a lot more then 13 years !!
“Smith and 18-year-old Jason Bolton had gone out on a 'night of fun' intending to inflict violence on anyone they came across in the street.”
I seriously doubt the “anyone” part, cowards like these scum are very selective who they target.
I AGREE WITH EVERYTHING U SAY ACE
Last Pint of Holts... I couldn't agree with you more! Seriously. Death penalty. I dont care if he's 15! 13 years is a JOKE and a slap in the face to everybody because that's all our lives are worth? Sickening. Too many feral kids running around the streets like wild animals.
Again another pathetic sentence handed down by our our of touch judges.
What is hard to understand about a life sentence means life - not 13 years.