Coroner warns of deadly knife culture in young people after death of school boy Yousef Makki

A coroner has issued a stark warning of a deadly knife culture where young people view carrying weapons as 'impressive'.

Senior South Manchester Coroner Alison Mutch called on the government to take action after teenager Yousef Makki was killed with a weapon "purchased at ease" during a school break time.

Following the school boy's inquest she wrote to the Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi to raise concerns over knife culture among young people.

In a report published on 7 January, Alison Mutch said: "The inquest heard evidence that there was a culture amongst some teenagers who saw the possession of knives as being impressive and did not understand the risks that are inherent in the carrying of knives.

"The knife that Yousef was stabbed with... had been purchased with ease during break time at school.

"It was clear from the evidence that schools and education play a vital role in attitudes to carrying knives by teenagers."

Yousef, a 17-year-old student at Manchester Grammar School, was stabbed to death by his friend Joshua Molnar in Hale Barns in Greater Manchester on 2 March 2019.

Molnar was found not guilty of murder and manslaughter following a trial at Manchester Crown Court in 2019, after he told the jury he had acted in self-defence.

During Yousef's inquest the 20-year-old repeated the evidence he gave at trial, explaining that during a clash his friend had called him 'p*ssy' and pushed and punched him, before telling the coroner he was not sure who had pulled a knife first.

Following the seven-day inquest at Stockport Coroners' Court in November 2021, Alison Mutch said she could not safely conclude that Yousef's death was either unlawful or accidental.

Ms Mutch recorded a narrative conclusion that Yousef died from 'complications from a stab wound the precise circumstances of which cannot on the balance of probabilities be ascertained'.

Yousef's sister Jade Akoum branded the coroner's verdict 'disgusting' and vowed that the family fight for justice would continue.

Following the 2019 trial, a jury acquitted Molner of murder and manslaughter, but he was handed a 16-month detention and training order after admitting possessing the knife which inflicted the fatal injury and lying to police at the scene.

His co-defendant, Adam Chowdhary, also 17 at the time but now 19, from Hale Barns, who described Yousef as his 'best friend', was acquitted of perverting the course of justice.

He was given a four-month detention order after admitting possession of a flick knife, one of two he claimed he and Yousef had jointly ordered during a break from lessons.

The Education Secretary must respond to Ms Mutch's letter within 56 days - 25 February.