Four people jailed for 18 years for 'frenzied' two-minute onslaught that left teenager needing blood transfusion

Three men and a teenage boy were sentenced to a collective 18 years behind bars today for seriously assaulting the victim in November last year.

Southampton Crown Court heard how a 19-year-old man was surrounded by a group – who were seen to be wearing masks – just before 1.10pm on Coleman Street in Southampton on Friday, November 18.

The victim was then subjected to a sustained 2-minute attack by the group where he was beaten using wooden sticks, a hockey stick and stabbed using ‘kitchen-style knives and a machete-style knife.’

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At a Southampton Crown Court hearing on Friday, April 28, Roman Omari, 18, of Queensway, Southampton, Bobby Roy, 18, of Matheson Road, Southampton, and Rajveller Landa, 20, of Surrey Road, Southampton pleaded guilty to Section 18 – causing grievous bodily harm with intent, and violent disorder. The fourth assailant, a 17-year-old boy from Southampton, alos plead guilty but cannot be named for legal reasons.

Omari, Roy and the 17-year-old also admitted possessing a bladed article in a public place, while Landa admitted possession of an offensive weapon.

The court heard the teenage victim suffered a number of significant injuries to his face and body. Staff from City College – alerted to the incident by students - tended to the victim; with local officers administering first-aid before paramedics from South Central Ambulance Service arrived on-scene. He was later transported to Southampton General Hospital, where he required immediate surgery - requiring two bags of blood via a blood transfusion – such was the severity of the injuries he had sustained.

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Investigation leader DC Storm Metcalfe said: ‘This was a calculated, sustained attack on one individual by a large group of people during a frenzied two-minute ordeal. Yet the groups actions on that day could have resulted in a senseless loss of life; thankfully that was not the case on this occasion.

‘Four dangerous people are now behind bars for a lengthy period of time - where they can no longer cause harm in our communities - as a direct consequence of their actions. We hope that this sends out a stark message that carrying a knife or using a knife can potentially cause untold misery.

DC Metcalfe added that police will ‘relentlessly pursue’ knife crime.

They added: ‘My advice to any young people who currently carry a knife, or considering carrying one, is to ask yourself “is it worth the risk?” You may think it’s the only way to protect yourself or that it makes you seem untouchable. Sadly, carrying a knife simply increases the likelihood that you, or someone else, will be seriously injured, or worse killed, because there’s no safe place to be stabbed.

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‘Reducing knife crime remains one of our top force priorities, and we will use all the powers at our disposal, from engagement and education to enforcement, to make Hampshire and the Isle of Wight a safer place to live and work.’

At a sentencing hearing today at Southampton Crown Court, the judge sentenced Roman Omari to five years and eight months, Bobby Roy to four years and eight months, Rajveller Landa to four years and 10 months and 17-year-old boy to three years in prison.