A 16-year-old boy has been sentenced to 12 years in prison for stabbing his former school friend, 15-year-old Pharell Garica, to death in a shocking attack in an east London park.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was found guilty of manslaughter at the Old Bailey on 7 February and was sentenced today, 20 June.
He was acquitted of murder but deemed a “dangerous offender” by the judge, who ordered he must serve at least seven years in custody before being eligible for release.
The court heard that the fatal confrontation took place on Tuesday, 23 July 2024, in Stellman Close, Hackney, following a breakdown in the boys’ friendship.
The defendant had reportedly told a mutual friend he planned to confront Pharell, whom he accused of speaking negatively about him.
What followed was a brutal and calculated attack. The defendant stabbed Pharell in the heart with a multi-tool knife, chased him through the park as he fled for his life, and watched as the teenager collapsed from his injuries.
Rather than helping his injured friend, the defendant fled the scene and attempted to dispose of the weapon.
Despite claiming he acted in self-defence, the jury rejected his version of events. The prosecution successfully argued that the defendant made a series of choices that led to Pharell’s death—choosing to bring the weapon, using it fatally, then fleeing and trying to evade justice.
Detective Chief Inspector Kelly Allen, who led the investigation, said the case was marked by a refusal to take responsibility and a disturbing obsession with knives.
“Our investigation revealed the defendant had a fascination with weapons—we recovered 43 videos and images of him handling knives just a week before the killing,” she said.
“He had a choice the moment he took hold of that knife. He chose violence, and he chose to flee rather than help.”
According to the Met Police, detectives reviewed extensive CCTV footage which captured the entire sequence, from the defendant entering the park and pulling up his hood, to the final chase and disposal of the weapon.
Forensic analysis later confirmed the multi-tool had been handled by both the defendant and Pharell.
The teen was arrested the day after the stabbing at a family friend’s house, where he had been hiding. Investigators found Snapchat messages exchanged between the boys in the days leading up to the attack and unearthed damning texts the defendant sent to his mother after the stabbing, asking her to remove items from their home and saying he wanted to flee to Portugal.
Detective Superintendent Brittany Clarke, who oversees policing in Hackney and Tower Hamlets, said Pharell’s death had left a deep scar on the local community.
“This was a devastating tragedy, not only for Pharell’s family but for everyone who knew him,” she said.
“It’s a grim reminder of the ongoing threat knife crime poses to our youth. We’re working every day with our partners to tackle the root causes and prevent more young lives being lost.”
She urged young people who feel unsafe or pressured to carry knives to speak with a trusted adult or seek help before making a choice that could destroy lives.
Despite a decline in overall violence in Hackney, authorities say this case serves as a wake-up call about the dangers still lurking in the lives of too many teenagers.
Pharell Garica’s family, forced to endure a painful trial to hear the details of their son’s final moments, are now left to grieve a life cut heartbreakingly short.
