The life sentence given to two teenage boys convicted of the racist murder of 38-year-old Kamran Aman in Wales has been referred to the Court of Appeal amid concerns the sentence may be “unjustifiably lenient”.Marcus Staniforth, 17, and a 16-year-old boy, whose identity is protected by law, were jailed for life earlier this year after brutally attacking Aman outside his mother’s home in Barry, Vale of Glamorgan.The victim, described as a devoted husband and father, had just delivered groceries to his mother shortly before midnight on June 30 last year when he was ambushed in an unprovoked assault.
Who is Kamran Aman? ?
Kamran Aman, 38, was a grocery delivery driver and family man who arrived at his mother’s house on Barrie Road shortly before the attack.
According to prosecutors, Aman was preparing to return to his car when the teens targeted him.Court proceedings revealed that the attackers were drinking alcohol and taking drugs in a nearby house before they discovered Aman sitting in his car.The younger accused allegedly began shouting racist abuse, including anti-Pakistani slurs, before trying to confront Aman.
He described the attack as “relentless.”
After failing to get into the passenger side of the car, the teen approached the driver’s side, forcing Aman to get out and defend himself while receiving punches.
Witnesses described the assault as “relentless”, and neighbors told the court the boys behaved like a “pack of animals”.During the attack, Staniforth ran to a nearby house and returned moments later carrying a large kitchen knife. Eyewitnesses said that he waved the weapon several times before stabbing Aman in the heart.Even as the victim bled, the younger boy allegedly continued to hurl racist abuse, including profanity and insults targeting the people of Pakistan.
Evidence and arrest
Paramedics attempted to perform emergency open-heart surgery at the scene, but Aman died of his fatal chest wound.The court heard that after the stabbing, Staniforth returned home and tried to wash the knife and his hands with bleach before the two teenagers fled.Police arrested them a short distance away within about 10 minutes of the attack. Investigators later found Staniforth’s DNA on the knife, while Aman’s blood was discovered on the boys’ clothing and shoes.
The court may increase penalties
At Cardiff Crown Court in February, Staniforth received a life sentence with a minimum term of 17 years, while the 16-year-old was ordered to serve a minimum of 15 years before becoming eligible for parole.Judge Griffiths described Staniforth as “a very dangerous young man indeed” and told the younger defendant that he had “incited a deliberate, unprovoked, sustained and violent racist attack”.The case has now been referred under the unjustified lenient sentencing regime, meaning Court of Appeal judges will decide whether minimum prison sentences should be increased.