Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Evening Standard
Evening Standard
National

Hale Barns stabbing: Teenage boy charged with murdering Yousef Makki

Yousef Ghaleb Makki, 17, was stabbed to death in Hale Barns on Saturday (Picture: PA)

A teenager has been charged with murdering a grammar school boy who was knifed to death in Greater Manchester.

Yousef Makki, 17, who dreamed of becoming a heart surgeon, was fatally stabbed on Saturday in Hale Barns, a leafy village south of Manchester.

On Tuesday, GMP confirmed a teenage boy, 17, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was charged with Yousef's murder and possession of a bladed article.

Another 17-year-old boy, who also cannot be named, was charged with assisting an offender and possession of a bladed article.

They both remain in custody and will appear before Manchester Youth Court on Wednesday.

Yousef, from Burnage, Manchester, is thought to have won a scholarship to attend the £12,000 a year independent Manchester Grammar School.

In a tribute, his family described the teenager as a "loving and caring son and brother" who was sporty and a dedicated student.

"We are absolutely devastated and cannot believe that our son has gone. This senseless loss has affected the whole community," they said.

"Yousef had only phoned home hours earlier to say that he would be home for his tea, but the next knock at the door were officers with the tragic news, it is every parent's worst nightmare."

Police were first alerted around 6.40pm on Saturday to reports a teenager had been stabbed on Gorse Bank Road, Hale Barns.

Officers attended the scene and Yousef was taken to hospital, where he died a short time later.

Floral tributes have been left on the tree-lined street where Yousef was found injured.

A two-minute silence was held on Monday by pupils and staff at his school, which described him as "a dearly-loved young man and incredibly bright pupil" who was studying four A-levels and had aspirations to pursue a career in medicine.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.