In a shocking and tragic case that has gripped the community, three teenagers have been sentenced to jail for their roles in the brutal killing of university student Gabriel Stoyanov, 21. The incident occurred late on November 4th last year in Bromley, south-east London, and has left a young man’s life cut short, all due to a senseless act of violence driven by what the prosecution called “boorish behaviour on a bus.
Gabriel Stoyanov, a business management undergraduate, had been out for a night of drinking with a friend. After boarding the 181 service bus, he attempted to engage with the defendants, who were 15, 17, and 18 years old at the time. The encounter took a horrifying turn when the trio, irritated by Stoyanov’s behaviour, decided to take matters into their own hands after disembarking the bus.
CCTV footage revealed the events that unfolded next. The trio went to the home of the 17-year-old defendant, armed themselves with weapons, and laid in wait for Stoyanov outside a takeaway restaurant. As Stoyanov emerged and saw the defendants, he began to back away. However, this did not deter his attackers.
Alfie Kibble, 18, attempted to strike Stoyanov with a motorcycle chain but missed. The 15-year-old threw a bottle before the 17-year-old fatally stabbed Stoyanov in the chest with a knife. Following the vicious attack, the teenagers fled the scene, leaving a severely injured Stoyanov behind.
Stoyanov was rushed to the hospital but tragically succumbed to his injuries the next day.
During the trial at the Old Bailey in central London, the court heard that the attackers had been provoked by what they perceived as “annoying” behaviour by Stoyanov on the bus. However, the prosecutor, Edward Brown KC, emphasized that nothing Stoyanov did justified the violent attack.
The defendants claimed that their actions were in “self-defence,” but the trial judge rejected this assertion, concluding that they had not been provoked in any way.
The 17-year-old defendant was found guilty of murder and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 15 years. Alfie Kibble, 18, from Bexley, south-east London, was also found guilty of murder and received a life sentence with a minimum term of 14 years and nine months. The 15-year-old, who had lured the victim toward his more heavily armed friends, was sentenced to six years and eight months for manslaughter.
Additionally, all three defendants were convicted of having offensive weapons, which was reflected in their sentences.
The tragic loss of Gabriel Stoyanov serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of senseless violence and the importance of seeking peaceful resolutions to conflicts.
