5 teenagers jailed for knife attack in Peterborough park
3 have been jailed for attempted murder and 2 for assault with intent
Five teenagers have been jailed for a combined total of almost 70 years after attacking two boys in a play park in Peterborough.
The attack happened on 31 May 2022 in the park area of Century Square, Millfield.
At 5:46pm police attended the scene after reports of stabbings, finding an 18-year old man collapsed on the ground receiving first aid by a member of the public.
A second victim, a 17-year-old boy, had multiple stab wounds a few hundred metres away in Waterloo road.
Following a five-week trial at Cambridge Crown Court earlier this year, Rudolf Gregor, 19, Patrick Tavera, 18 and Samba Balde, 18 were all found guilty of two counts of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.
Amadu Djalo 18, and Milan Pollak, 19. were cleared of those charges but found guilty of two counts of assault with intent to cause grievous harm (GBH).
Police said before the attack, Gregor, of Midland Road, West Town and Tavera, of Tyesdale in Bretton, bought three kitchen knives from a convenience store in Lincoln Road.
Footage captured the shop keeper asking the pair why they were buying the knives, to which Gregor claimed to be getting them for his mother who was hosting a barbecue.
As Gregor paid for the knives, Balde, of Bringhurst, Orton Goldhay, Djalo, of Hampton Court, Hampton, and Pollak, of Shakespeare Avenue, New England, loitered by the entrance.
On Wednesday, all five appeared at Cambridge Crown Court where they were sentenced as follows:
- Rudolf Gregor - 19 years and six months
- Patrick Tavera - 16 years
- Samba Balde - 19 years
- Amadu Djalo - seven years and three months
- Milan Pollak - seven years
Gregor’s sentence also included two offences of possession with intent to supply class A drugs (cocaine and heroin) after being found with £990 worth of the drugs on him in Broadway, Peterborough city centre, on 5 July 2021.
Detective Constable Lloyd Davis, who investigated, said: “This was an incredibly complex case which was sheer luck that it didn’t end up as a murder investigation.
“A conflict has resulted in two young men being so close to losing their lives, and five now spending their next years in prison.
“We know the impact weapons have on our communities; this case should act as a wake-up call for those on the fringe of criminality – levels of violence involved cannot be understated.
“I would encourage anyone concerned about a young person becoming involved in criminality to speak to police or partner agencies so we can intervene.”