Two Teenagers Sentenced to Life for Stabbing 38-Year-Old Kamran Aman to Death

The fatal stabbing of Kamran Aman, a 38-year-old father, has led to life sentences for two teenage boys following what the court described as an unprovoked and racially motivated attack. The incident unfolded in Barry, south Wales, after Aman had completed an ordinary act of family care — delivering groceries to his mother’s home. Within minutes, a routine visit ended in extreme violence that permanently altered the lives of those closest to him.

Marcus Staniforth, aged 17, and a 16-year-old boy who cannot be named for legal reasons were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court after being convicted of murder. The court heard that the pair targeted Aman without any prior connection or dispute. Prosecutors described the attack as entirely unprovoked, and the sentencing judge later emphasized that the victim had done nothing to invite confrontation or hostility.

The killing occurred late on the night between June 30 and July 1, 2025. Aman had been preparing to return home to his wife and young child when he was approached by the teenagers. What followed was a sustained assault involving punches, kicks, racist abuse, and ultimately a fatal stabbing to the heart. Emergency services were called, but Aman could not be saved and was pronounced dead shortly after 1am.

The sentencing hearing revealed the sequence of events that led to the killing, the role of each defendant, and the devastating impact the crime has had on Aman’s family. Statements from relatives described a profound sense of loss, while police investigators spoke of the shocking brutality and suddenness of the violence. The court ultimately imposed detention during His Majesty’s Pleasure for both teenagers, with minimum terms reflecting the seriousness of the crime.

The Night of the Attack and What Happened in Barry

On the evening of June 30, Kamran Aman followed what had become a familiar routine. After spending time with his wife and young child, he delivered groceries to his mother, Shenaz Aman, at her home in Barry. The visit was brief, and he returned to his car intending to drive back to his own family. It was at this point that he was noticed by the two teenagers who would later be convicted of his murder.

Earlier that day, the younger defendant had displayed openly racist behaviour. According to the court, he had painted a racist message on the wall of a property where he had been spending time. The judge later noted that the teenager had been drinking alcohol and had taken cocaine, contributing to volatile and aggressive behaviour throughout the evening. When he saw Aman sitting in his car, the court heard that he focused on him because of his race.

The teenager approached the vehicle and attempted to open the door. Aman got out of the car, and the confrontation escalated immediately. The younger boy launched a violent assault, repeatedly punching Aman while shouting racist abuse. Witness accounts and evidence presented in court confirmed that racial slurs were used throughout the attack.

Marcus Staniforth joined the assault, punching Aman and delivering a forceful kick. The violence did not stop there. Staniforth returned to a nearby property where the pair had been drinking and retrieved a large kitchen knife. He then came back and stabbed Aman in the heart, inflicting a wound that proved fatal.

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The entire sequence unfolded in a short period of time. Prosecutors described the attack as sustained, deliberate, and brutal. The younger teenager’s racist hostility drove the confrontation, while Staniforth’s decision to obtain and use a knife escalated the assault to lethal violence. Emergency services responded after the attack, but Aman’s injuries were catastrophic. Despite efforts to assist him, he was pronounced dead at 1.07am.

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The location of the killing — outside his mother’s home — added an additional layer of trauma for his family, who had lived in the area for many years. Investigators later confirmed that the attack had been captured on video footage, documenting both the violence and the racist abuse directed at Aman. Police described the evidence as deeply disturbing and said the events unfolded with shocking speed, leaving no opportunity for intervention.

Court Proceedings and Sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court

The trial and sentencing hearings provided detailed insight into the motivations and actions of the two defendants. Both teenagers initially admitted manslaughter but were later convicted of murder following a full trial. The court examined their conduct before, during, and after the attack, as well as their personal circumstances and backgrounds. Mr Justice Griffiths presided over the case and delivered the sentencing remarks.

He lifted reporting restrictions relating to Marcus Staniforth, allowing him to be publicly identified, but confirmed that legal protections would continue to prevent the naming of the younger defendant due to his age. The judge described the killing as the murder of a stranger who had been selected without reason. He emphasized that Kamran Aman had been a devoted family man who had simply been preparing to return home after helping his mother. Addressing the defendants, he said they had chosen to attack someone they did not know and had ended his life in the street.

During sentencing, the judge outlined the differing roles of the two teenagers. He stated that the 16-year-old had instigated a deliberate, sustained, and racially motivated attack, driven by hostility toward Aman’s race. The court heard that the teenager had targeted Aman specifically because he was not white and had shouted racist abuse repeatedly during and after the assault. Staniforth, the judge noted, had not been motivated by racism but had willingly supported and escalated the violence. By retrieving a knife and inflicting the fatal wound, he had ensured the attack resulted in death. The judge described this decision as a critical and irreversible escalation.

Both defendants were sentenced to detention during His Majesty’s Pleasure, a form of life sentence imposed on offenders under the age of 18. Staniforth was ordered to serve a minimum of 17 years in custody, while the younger boy was given a minimum term of 15 years. These minimum terms must be served before either can be considered for release by the parole authorities.

The court also heard about the personal backgrounds of the defendants. Both had experienced troubled childhoods and had been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. While these factors were considered as part of the sentencing process, the judge made clear that they did not diminish the seriousness of the crime or the harm caused.

Prosecutor Owen Edwards KC described the attack as entirely unprovoked and emphasised that the teenagers had been drinking heavily throughout the evening. He outlined how the younger defendant had become increasingly aggressive before noticing Aman in his car and initiating the confrontation. In delivering his sentencing remarks, Mr Justice Griffiths spoke directly about the consequences of the crime. He said that not only had Aman’s life been taken, but the lives of his family members had been permanently changed. The court recognised that no sentence could restore what had been lost.

Impact on Family and Community After the Killing

The emotional impact of Kamran Aman’s death was expressed through statements delivered in court by members of his family. His mother, Shenaz Aman, described living with deep loneliness and distress following the loss of her son. The killing had occurred outside her home, the place where he had come to help her only moments before the attack. Aman’s wife, Khaleela, described her husband as kind, dependable, and devoted to his family. She told the court that life had been permanently altered by his death.

The loss had created a void that could not be filled, and she said part of the family had died with him. Her statement conveyed the scale of emotional devastation experienced by those closest to him. The couple’s young child has been left to grow up without a father. The court acknowledged this lasting impact, noting that the consequences of the attack would extend far beyond the moment of violence.

Police investigators also addressed the significance of the case. Detective Inspector Kath Barry stated that Aman had done nothing to provoke the attack and that the violence had been completely unforeseeable. She emphasised that the presence of racist abuse, captured on video, made the incident particularly shocking. The investigation required the family to endure the process of reliving the circumstances of the killing during legal proceedings. Despite this, police said Aman’s relatives had shown remarkable composure and dignity throughout the trial.

The wider community in Barry has also been affected. The killing occurred in a residential area where Aman’s family had lived for many years, intensifying the sense of shock among neighbours and local residents. The suddenness and brutality of the attack raised concerns about violence, youth behaviour, and racial hostility. For Aman’s family, however, the consequences are deeply personal and ongoing.

The loss of a husband, father, and son continues to shape daily life. Court proceedings may have delivered legal accountability, but they have not removed the enduring absence left behind. The sentencing marked a formal end to the criminal case, yet the emotional and social effects of the killing continue to be felt by those who knew Kamran Aman and by the community in which he lived.