Malayalee teenager gets life imprisonment for stabbing his love rival in Liverpool

LIVERPOOL Nov 17: In a shocking incident, a 16-year-old Keralite boy named Kevin Biji was sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting to murder his love rival. According to the Liverpool Echo, Kevin Biji lured his victim, also 16, into a dark alleyway by impersonating his own girlfriend on Snapchat before launching a brutal assault with a machete.

The victim suffered two stab wounds to the chest but miraculously managed to cycle home and alert his family. Despite his severe injuries, he even texted a friend expressing fear that he “might die.” Both boys attended the same sixth-form college and had been dating the same girl.

On the day of the attack, the victim received a Snapchat message from the girl’s account inviting him over for sex. Suspicious, the victim asked if Biji was with her, to which he was told no. The two agreed to meet in a side street off Hailsham Road in Aigburth.

As the victim arrived, Kevin Biji emerged wearing a balaclava and proceeded to carry out the vicious attack. The prosecution revealed in court that the teenagers had been involved in a dispute over the girl, leading to Kevin Biji’s premeditated attempt on the victim’s life.

After a thorough investigation, Kevin Biji was convicted of attempted murder and handed a life sentence. The judge presiding over the case expressed shock at the gravity of the crime and emphasized the need for justice for such a heinous act.

Kevin Biji has a previous conviction for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent from an incident in 2022, which occurred when he was only 14 years old. Typically, defendants under 18 are not publicly named by the media, but in Kevin Biji’s case, a judge lifted the reporting restrictions due to the severity of his crime.

During the court proceedings, Kevin Biji’s lawyer, stated that his client regretted, felt remorse, and shame for committing the offence. His lawyer emphasized Kevin Biji’s willingness to engage in restorative justice, which demonstrated maturity for someone of his age. He also argued that life imprisonment should be a last resort, particularly for young offenders.

The court heard about Kevin Biji’s troubled upbringing, including exposure to domestic violence, alcohol abuse by his father, and displacement from his parents. Morgan explained that while these traumas were not excuses for Kevin Biji’s behaviour, they contributed to his emotional and mental development issues.

Appearing via video link from HMP Wetherby, Kevin Biji put his head in his hands after receiving a life sentence with a minimum term of 10 years in a young offenders’ institute. He was also given an indefinite restraining order prohibiting contact with his victim.