Student stabbed with Rambo knife at party tried to fend off attack with nitrous

30 November 2023 , 11:43

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Ashley Day was killed at a house party in June (Image: BPM MEDIA)

A teenager has been found guilty of killing a man with a "Rambo" knife at a city house party.

Ashley Day, 20, hired out a flat in Digbeth, Birmingham, for a gathering to celebrate finishing college. He was due to start a physiotherapy course at Brunel University in London but in June 29 this year he was stabbed four times by Gurveer Bhandal and died.

The 19-year-old was today cleared of murder but found guilty of manslaughter as well as possession of a bladed article following a trial at Birmingham Crown Court. He will be sentenced on January 5 . Witnesses testified Mr Day had tried to block the attack using a foot long nitrous oxide cannister.

Floral tributes left at the scene in Digbeth (BPM MEDIA)

Mobile phone footage taken moments after the stabbing captured the teenager still holding the knife while a female could be heard screaming 'call the police' and 'is he breathing?', Birmingham Live reported. Mr Day booked the flat at the junction of Bradford Street and Birchall Street through Airbnb. He held a party on June 28 which 'went well', so he decided to host another one the following evening, the court was told.

Prosecutor Peter Grieves-Smith Kc said: "The flat was pretty full, quite a lot of people listening to music, dancing, drinking, some smoking cannabis and some also took what they called Smartwhip, better known as nitrous oxide or laughing gas." Evidence showed Bhandal was 'intoxicated' while Mr Day had been drinking but wasn't drunk, the court heard. Police had visited earlier due to the 'general noise and commotion', causing some to leave, only to return later.

Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probe

Bhandal was seen waving a knife on a balcony and taunting people at one point. Mr Grieves-Smith relayed the account of a female witness and said: "When he was asked to calm down by Ashley Day his mood changed. At this point he had a different knife in his hand it was a silver knife with a black handle, what she calls a Rambo knife.

"At this point Ashley Day was holding a nitrous oxide canister, about a foot in length and a few centimetres round. The defendant went for Ashley Day, stabbed him in the chest and stabbed him twice more in quick succession. Ashley Day fell to the floor and then she saw the defendant stab him again to this back before leaving the room."

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Carl Jackson