Two teenagers jailed after accidentally stabbing friend during attack on another teenager

Two teenagers have both been jailed for 25 years after accidentally stabbing their friend during a fatal attack on another teenage boy. 

Alagie Jobe, 19, of South-east London and Hussain Bah, 19, of South-east London were both sentenced following a trial at Inner London Crown Court. The Met have said they cannot release the two men’s addresses for “operational reasons”.

Police launched a double murder investigation on November 26, 2022, after two 16-year-olds – Charlie Bartolo and Kearne Solanke – were found with fatal stab injuries just one mile apart in Greenwich.

In a witness statement released by the Met, Charlie’s father, Toby Bartolo, said: “Never in my worst dreams did I ever image that my son Charlie would be murdered, all alone.

“As a father I am haunted by how I was not there to save him, to comfort him.

“The effect on Charlie’s brothers and big sister has been, and continues to be, devastating.

“There will be a hole in our lives and hearts forever.”

Analysis of CCTV revealed that five men had arrived in a car, which was deliberately rammed into a motorbike being ridden by Charlie in Sewell Road.

Three men got out of the car from the passenger side, where Charlie was lying, and attacked him as he lay on the ground. 

The CCTV shows that all three of them used large knives to stab and strike Charlie.

Two other men who got out of the driver’s side of the car did not physically participate in the violence – although the driver was armed with a knife.

CCTV footage shows the moment the attackers car hit Charlie’s motorbike (Picture: The Met)

Officers discovered that Solanke was one of the three who jumped out of the passenger side of the car and attacked Charlie. But during the attack, one of his fellow attackers had accidently stabbed him.

The CCTV footage shows that Solanke got back into the car with the rest of the group, and they all drove away. But, when the car reached Titmuss Avenue only a mile away, they abandoned the car and Kearne was left to die on the pavement.

The prosecution case against all of the defendants is that they were all signed up to a joint plan to find and attack someone in Abbey Wood, as they were from a rival gang in Thamesmead.

Each of them played their own part in that attack – Bah driving them there and hitting Charlie with the car, a 17-year-old driving them away, and the other three, including Kearne Solanke, carrying out the stabbing that all five of them intended.

Two of the attackers cannot be named for legal reasons.

Detective Chief Inspector Kate Blackburn said: “This case demonstrates the utter devastation caused by knife crime and people who arm themselves with large knives, not only risk killing those they see as enemies, but also people they consider their friends. 

“My thoughts, and those of my team, remain with the families of both Charlie and Kearne.”

Pictured top: From left, Alagie Jobe and Hussain Bah (Picture: The Met)