12 Dec 2024
A 19-year-old student has been sentenced to three years and six months imprisonment for stabbing two teenagers in St Albans last year.
Kierson Murray, of Link Walk in Hatfield, appeared at St Albans Crown Court for sentencing on Tuesday December 3, after being found guilty at a trial.
Murray faced charges of two counts of section 18 GBH, for which he was sentenced to three years and six months each, to run concurrently. He was also charged with possession of a bladed article (knife) and was sentenced to nine months imprisonment, to also run concurrently.
Police were called to a stabbing outside Oaklands Stores on Hatfield Road, at the junction with Wynchlands Crescent at 3.40pm on October 9 2023.
Two teenage boys – aged 16 and 17 at the time – received serious stab injuries.
One of them received a gash injury to his arm and the second a gash to his back caused by a knife Murray was wielding.
Intervention officers from St Albans and armed response officers quickly attended with support from the national police air service and the ambulance service.
Neighbourhood policing officers stepped up extra patrols to reassure residents affected by the incident.
Sgt Paul Wadsworth from the St Albans Local Crime Unit said: “This was an unusual, targeted attack on two teenagers near a college at a time when children were walking home from school.
“We are pleased Murray has been given a lengthy sentence for inflicting serious injuries on two teenage boys. Three young lives have changed forever following the actions of Murray on 9 October last year and that’s the stark reality of carrying a knife.
“By some miracle, the victims’ injuries were not life-changing and no members of the public were injured.”
He added: “I’d like to thank members of the public who helped us identify Murray and for their invaluable help on the day, which assisted with our investigation.”
