Teen who was killed had drug debts, court hears

Mustafa Momand,17, was killed in an attack on Queens Road in Brighton on 5 October

A teenager who was stabbed to death in Brighton had a shared £20,000 drug debt, a court has heard.

Mustafa Momand, 17, was stabbed in Queens Road on 5 October and later died in hospital.

A 16-year-old boy from Southwick, West Sussex, who cannot be named for legal reasons, is accused of murder and is on trial at Brighton Crown Court.

Prosecutor Nathan Rasiah KC said it appeared they knew each other and the attack was likely related to drug debt.

Mustafa had moved to the UK from Afghanistan with his family in 2009.

The court heard that in late 2021, his mother found cannabis in his room and suspected he was using or dealing drugs.

When Mustafa turned 16, things “got worse” and his parents found weapons in his pockets and he went missing for days on occasions, coming back with valuable items or injuries, the court heard.

Jurors were told that in November 2022, Mustafa told his father he was in debt and needed £8,000 or “they will kill me”.

He “cried and pleaded” until his father managed to give him some money, the court were told.

Mustafa was eventually moved out of the area to a care home in Croydon in April last year.

Queens Road – the main street from Brighton station to the city centre – was sealed off by police

On 5 October, Mustafa travelled from Croydon to Brighton for a court appearance in relation to drug offences.

While his youth worker was using the bathroom, Mustafa left the court alone when he was stabbed to death.

The court heard that Mustafa was able to run for 150 metres before he staggered and collapsed.

According to eyewitnesses, the teenager, who was beginning his A-Levels, appeared to be “running for his life” while his attacker followed, yelling at him.

Opening the case, Rasiah KC said: “Mustafa was able to run. The defendant chased after him, still brandishing the knife.

“The truth is that he had already killed him. He had already inflicted a fatal injury on Mustafa.”

The defendant denies having the necessary intent for murder, Rasiah KC said.

The teenager is also accused of two other separate incidents in July and August 2023 of threatening another with a bladed article and offensive weapon, which he denies.

The trial continues.

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