Man jailed following Preston stabbing over £20 debt

A man has been jailed for 12 years and nine months at Preston Crown Court following an investigation into a stabbing which took place in Ingol last September.

Officers were called at 1.59am on 29th September following reports a man had been found collapsed by members of the public at the BP Garage on Tag Lane. They provided first aid until the ambulance service arrived.

CCTV enquiries found that the victim – a man in his 40s – had been assaulted inside a property in Tag Croft, before stumbling to the petrol station where he collapsed having received numerous stab injuries to the head, chest and arm. Officers found blood inside the property, though that had been an attempt to clean it up.

Qusai Abdalla, who also uses the name Omar, was traced to a property in New Rough Hey, Preston, where he was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder. Traces of the victim’s blood were found on Abdalla’s trainers.

Although he made no comment in police interview, he did film the aftermath of the attack and sent the video to an associate. He later told the same associate that he stabbed the victim 20 times due to an unpaid debt. The debt is believed to have been just £20.

Abdalla, 26, of Tag Croft, Ingol, pleaded guilty to Section 18 wounding earlier this year and was sentenced on Wednesday.

In an impact statement to the court, the victim said: “Since the attack, I have experienced ongoing trauma. I suffer from frequent flashbacks and anxiety attacks, and at times I feel disoriented and unsure of where I am. I struggle with sleep and find it difficult to control my thoughts when I feel overwhelmed.”

He continued: “Before the incident, I was a keen fitness fanatic. My physical condition was a source of pride and mental well-being. Since the attack, my body feels like it's functioning at only 50% of what it once was. I have accepted that it may take years—if ever—for me to regain anything close to what I lost.

“What makes this even harder is that I feel sorry for Omar, because I thought he was my friend. That betrayal has cut even deeper than the physical wounds. The effect he has had on me has completely changed who I am. I can’t trust anyone anymore. I don’t feel able to look after myself properly. For the sake of a bit of money, he has damaged me mentally and physically in a way that may never heal.

“I find myself constantly talking about the ordeal, because I just can't keep it inside. It's always on my mind. Even when I try to distract myself, it’s there. It’s like I’m trapped in it.”

DC Emily Armitage, who led the investigation, said: “This was a cowardly attack which could have easily resulted in a man losing his life. All over a £20 debt.

“I welcome the significant sentence handed down to Abdalla which reflects the seriousness of his offending and sends a clear message that Lancashire Police and the courts will not tolerate such abhorrent offending.

“This offence continues to have a profound impact on the victim and his family, and my thoughts remain with him and them at this time.”