Teen Detained for Fatal Knife Attack in Derbyshire

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A 17-year-old teenager has been detained for the fatal stabbing of an 18-year-old man in Ilkeston, Derbyshire. Charles Hartle, of Station Road, Stanley, was found guilty of murdering Noah Smedley during an attack on the evening of 28 December last year.

Hartle attacked while wearing a balaclava and armed with a Rambo-style knife, which he had concealed in his tracksuit bottoms. During the trial at Derby Crown Court, prosecutor Adrian Langdale KC told the court that Hartle “grinned or smiled before deliberately aiming for and stabbing [Mr Smedley] in the chest.”

After a two-week trial, Hartle was sentenced to life detention at His Majesty’s pleasure, with a minimum term of 20 years. Judge Shaun Smith KC described the killing as “yet another reminder of the dreadful epidemic of knife crime.”

The court heard that Hartle and friends had arranged to meet Mr Smedley, who arrived on an electric scooter and sold them cannabis. Mr Langdale stated that Hartle regularly carried a knife for “kudos and bravado” and to present himself as a “big man.”

Footage from Derbyshire Police showed Hartle fleeing the scene before calling someone and asking not to be on speakerphone. Witnesses later reported that Hartle confessed to the stabbing while at a house party with his girlfriend and showed the knife, which has not been recovered.

After the murder, Hartle travelled to Derby city centre before ultimately handing himself in at Ilkeston police station. In a statement to the police, he admitted to inflicting the injury on Mr Smedley but claimed he acted in self-defence.

Derbyshire Police confirmed that Mr Smedley was discovered by members of the public at approximately 8.20 pm and was pronounced dead shortly before 9 pm. Hartle disposed of his clothing, knife, and phone in the hours following the attack.

The case highlights continuing concerns about knife crime in the UK and its impact on local communities. Authorities continue to urge the public to report suspicious activity and remain vigilant to help prevent similar incidents in the future.