Knifeman bragged with drill lyrics after nearly stabbing university student to death in Radford

A teenage knifeman, who left a university student fighting for his life in a coma for weeks, later bragged in drill lyrics (a type of rap) how the blade he used to stab him “turned from blue to red”. Nottingham Crown Court heard how William Osaseri fled from the scene in Nottingham and caught a train to Birmingham before returning where he was caught on CCTV calmly playing table tennis.

The 19-year-old “highly-promising” former badminton player was arrested at his home around two weeks later where officers found deal bags of cannabis, scales and the blue-handled knife he used to stab the 20-year-old with in Radford. And in an impact statement, the victim’s mother told how she has had to give up work to care full time for her son who is unlikely to ever return to university and complete his studies.

Sending him to a young offender’s institution for eight years, Recorder Simon King said: “It is a matter of pure luck and not judgement that this is not a murder case. You went out involved in the drug trade armed with a knife and that is where everything went wrong.

“I have seen the CCTV and whatever it was that caused it, it is clear you were running after them (two men) and attacked one of them with a knife when he was on the ground

“That caused the life-changing injuries I have heard about and he will have to live with his injuries for the rest of his life. Remember as you serve your sentence that having achieved all the good you have in your life once, you will have to do it again and you owe that to the people in your life.”

Ben Isaacs, prosecuting, said the incident took place in St Peter’s Street, just before 6pm on June 27, this year. He said the victim was with a friend when he was approached, chased, and then stabbed by Osaseri with what the friend described as “a large knife" while on the ground.

The prosecutor said: “He stabbed him after lunging at him more than once, catching him on the back of the right arm and then the defendant ran away. Firearms officers were called to the scene and one of them was able to provide first aid and a defibrillator and the victim was taken to the QMC.

“The defendant caught an Uber to Nottingham station and a train to Birmingham and then back from Birmingham and was caught on CCTV playing table tennis. He was arrested at his home in south-east London on July 7 where the knife with the blue handle was found along with deals of cannabis.

“A note was found on his phone of lyrics from a drill song which included the lines ‘is it blood that I drew?’ and ‘my knife turned blue to red’.”

The prosecutor said the victim suffered brain injuries due to lack of oxygen caused by the stab wound and was in a coma for six weeks. He said he had been studying financial accountancy in Sheffield, but was now unlikely to ever finish his studies.

In a victim impact statement, the man’s mother said: “I have had to stop work to become his full-time carer and I want the person responsible to know of the devastating impact it has had not just on his life but all of those around him.”

Osaseri, of Le May Avenue, Grove Park, Lewisham, pleaded guilty to wounding with intent, theft, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, and possessing Class B drugs with intent to supply. He has no previous convictions.

James Varley, mitigating, said his client had been a highly-promising and talented badminton player as a youth. He said: “The effect of the injuries that were caused far outweigh what he expected to happen. He is extremely sorry.”