On August 1, 2023, Chas Corrigan, 22, stabbed Mohammed Algasim, 20, in the neck outside a luxury student accommodation block in Cambridge. The attack, captured on CCTV , was described by the judge as “senseless violence” fueled by alochol and cocaine.. Corrigan was sentenced today to 22½ years in prison after a jury convicted him in just two hours.

The August 1 stabbing captured on CCTV

Security footage from Cambridge Crown Court showed Algasim laughing with friends on a low wall when Corrigan, wearing a high‑visibility jacket, approached and exchanged words. After walking away, Corrigan returned, sprinted, and plunged a large kitchen knife into Algasim’s neck. The video, played at the trial’s opening, illustrated the rapid escalation from a verbal spat to a lethal attack.

Judge Dexter Dias rejects self‑defence claim

Mr Justice Dexter Dias KC highlighted that Corrigan had two clear opportunities to leave the scene before the stabbing. The judge dismissed Corriva’s argument that he feared for his safety, noting the defendant was heavily intoxicated and had taken cocaine, which “fuelled a lethal combination of anger and aggression.”

Knife‑crime statistics underline a rising threat

Office for National Statistics data released in August 2024 showed knife‑related incidents in England and Wales rose 4 % to 55,008 compared with the previous year. Despite the “two strikes and you’re out” policy, the proportion of repeat offenders receiving custodial sentences fell 5 %, according to the report.

Family impact and community reaction

In a victim impact statement, Algasim’s father, Yousef, described the loss of his “gentle son” as a devastating blow to a family that had invested heavily in his education. the mother, according to the court record, now lives “as though without a soul,” clinging to memories of her son’s laughter.

Unanswered questions about knife access

Patrick Green, chief executive of The Ben Kinsella Trust, warned that online marketplaces make knives “far too easy” for young people to obtain, a factor that may have contributed to this tragedy. The charity’s call for stricter safeguards remains unaddressed by lawmakers.