A 16-year-old boy who was fatally stabbed in a West Yorkshire city was a Syrian refugee who got here to the UK after being injured in a bombing, police have stated.
Ahmad Mamdouh Al Ibrahim’s household stated he had fled war-torn Homs to dwell along with his uncle and dreamed of turning into a physician, “desirous to heal others in spite of everything he had endured”.
{The teenager} died in hospital after being stabbed within the neck throughout an incident in Huddersfield on Thursday afternoon.
Ahmad’s household paid tribute to their “form, light” boy on the day the person accused of murdering him made his first look at a crown courtroom.
They stated: “Our beloved Ahmad was taken from us on April 3 2025, he was solely 16.
“Ahmad fled war-torn Homs, Syria, after being injured in a bombing. He selected to come back to the UK as a result of he believed within the values of human rights, security, and dignity.
“He was filled with hope and dreamed of turning into a physician – desirous to heal others in spite of everything he had endured.
“He had simply begun settling into his new life along with his uncle, adjusting to a brand new language, a brand new house, and a future he was excited to construct.
“Ahmad was form, light, and carried a lot promise. Dropping him has left an unimaginable vacancy in our hearts. We by no means thought that the place he noticed as a protected haven could be the place his life would finish.
“Our solely want now’s to put him to relaxation in his homeland, Syria. Thanks for serving to us honour his reminiscence.”
Ahmad had solely just lately moved to Huddersfield from the South Wales space, the West Yorkshire power stated.
On Tuesday, Alfie Franco, 20, appeared at Leeds Crown Courtroom charged with murdering Ahmad and possessing a knife in a public place.
The courtroom heard there appeared to have been a verbal altercation between Ahmad and Franco however they weren’t identified to one another and there was “no historical past of animosity”.
Outlining the circumstances, prosecutor Bashir Ahmed stated shortly earlier than 3pm Ahmad was in Huddersfield city centre with a pal and walked previous Franco, who was along with his girlfriend on the time.
He instructed the courtroom: “There seems to be some type of verbal altercation between Ahmad and the defendant that then causes (Ahmad) to come back in direction of the defendant.”
It’s alleged the defendant then produced a knife from his waistband and inflicted one stab wound on Ahmad, the courtroom heard.
Showing by way of video-link from jail, Franco spoke solely to substantiate his identify and was not requested to enter a plea to the fees.
Franco, who the courtroom heard has robust hyperlinks to South Africa, was remanded in custody till his subsequent look on the identical courtroom for a plea and trial preparation listening to on Could 7.
Choose Robin Mairs set a date of October 2 for the trial, which is anticipated to take 5 days.
Police stated a 22-year-old man and a 20-year-old lady arrested on suspicion of helping an offender have been launched on bail.
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