Two teenagers have been found guilty of killing 26 year old Adam Khan after luring him to a location in Luton and attacking him with a knife.
A boy aged 17, who was 16 at the time of the incident, was found guilty of Adam’s murder following a violent altercation on Humberstone Road, Luton, in August 2025.
A girl aged 17, who was also 16 at the time, was found guilty of manslaughter for her part in his death.
Due to legal restrictions relating to children under the age of 18, the pair cannot be named nor their images shown.
Emergency services were called to the incident on Humberstone Road in the town shortly after 6pm on August 31 last year after Adam was stabbed with a machete the boy had brought with him to the scene. Adam was taken to hospital but later died from his injuries.
During the three-week trial at Harrow Crown Court, the jury heard how Adam had been messaging the girl in the weeks leading up to the incident.
Under oath, the boy admitted that he and the girl had planned to “trick” Adam by taking cannabis that he claimed Adam had offered to her in exchange for sex. However, there was no evidence whatsoever to corroborate these claims.
Subscribe to our newsletter and stay updated on the latest news and updates from around the Muslim world!
Prior to the incident, the girl exchanged messages and phone calls with Adam and played a key role in persuading him to drive to meet her at St Luke’s Close, while the boy waited nearby.
As Adam drove away from St Luke’s Close the boy ran after him, catching up with him after he parked on the pavement on Humberstone Road, armed himself with a tyre iron, and an altercation took place, ultimately resulting in Adam being stabbed.
Following the incident, witness testimony and CCTV footage showed that both defendants walked away as their victim sought medical assistance from witnesses nearby.
Detective Inspector Adam Bridges of Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Major Crime Unit, said: “First and foremost, our thoughts remain with Mr Khan’s family and friends.
“This was a violent and vicious incident that resulted in the wholly unnecessary death of a young man, with consequences that will be felt by those who loved him for the rest of their lives. The teenager who stabbed Adam arrived at the scene armed with a knife, demonstrating a clear willingness to use extreme violence if the situation escalated. That deliberate decision ultimately led to Adam Khan losing his life.
“There is never any justification for carrying a knife. This tragic incident, which took place in August last year, stands as a stark reminder of the devastating and irreversible consequences such decisions can have for everyone involved.”
Both teenagers will be sentenced at a later date.
Pillar of the community
Born in Pakistan before moving to Luton at the age of two, Adam grew up in a loving home in a traditional British-Pakistani household.
However, he was tested with major hardship at the age of 13 when his father died tragically of heart disease.
Adam was left as the oldest male in the household with the responsibility of caring for his mother and younger siblings.
Despite this difficult period in his early teens, he went on to establish himself as a well-respected young man in his community and dedicated his life to Islam and the pursuit of aiding those less fortunate across the Ummah.
After graduating with first class degree honours from the University of Hertfordshire, he went on to volunteer for the Islamic charity Crisis Aid where he helped to prepare and distribute aid to troubled areas such as Yemen, Syria and Somalia.
Popular and charismatic, Adam boasted a large range of friends and was passionate about his health and fitness, taking part in group bike trails, public Eid celebrations, river rafting and other wholesome activities.
