Man guilty of fatally stabbing teen in city square

A man has been found guilty of fatally stabbing a teenager and assaulting two other people in a city square.

Donell Charles, 23, approached the friends who were sitting on the steps of Portsmouth Guildhall and attacked them with a zombie-style knife in July 2023, police said.

Aimen Ahmed, 18, from Horndean, Hampshire, died a short time later, Portsmouth Crown Court heard.

Charles, formerly of Southsea, admitted manslaughter with diminished responsibility following a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia.

The victims were watching a football match on a phone at about 23:00 BST on 29 July when the defendant briefly spoke to them, police said.

He returned minutes later with the large, serrated blade and launched the attack, detectives added.

Aimen Ahmed was stabbed in the abdomen while two other members of the group sustained minor injuries.

Charles, formerly of St Peters Grove, was arrested two days later after repeatedly revisiting the scene and being identified.

He was originally charged with murder, attempted murder and causing actual bodily harm.

However, the trial jury was told he was suffering a psychotic episode at the time of the attack.

The judge directed jurors to accept the defendant's pleas of guilty to manslaughter and two counts of causing actual bodily harm.

Charles previously also admitted possessing the knife and failing to give police the code for his phone.

He will be sentenced on 17 December.

Det Insp Elizabeth Brunt said: “We hope that today’s result brings closure, but also some level of comfort to Aimen’s foster family."

Previously, the family said: “Aimen was such a kind, beautiful and innocent soul whose huge infectious smile melted your heart and made you laugh.

“He was a boy with dreams and quiet determination, who worked hard at college and wanted to achieve something with his life."

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