A man has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the brutal murder of Saudi student Mohammed Yousef Algasim, who was fatally stabbed in the neck with a kitchen knife in Cambridge last year.
Chas Corrigan, 22, used the large knife to stab 20-year-old Algasim in the neck in Mill Park on the evening of 1 August, 2025.
Mohammed ran from the scene but collapsed moments later as a member of the public called for an ambulance. Three off duty doctors and paramedics found him bleeding heavily on the pavement, but despite their efforts to save him, the injury to his neck was so severe that he was pronounced dead at 12.19am.
The attack was captured on CCTV, which showed Corrigan running from the scene.
A media appeal was launched within hours and, following a tip-off from a member of the public, Corrigan was arrested.
Mohammed, who was from Saudi Arabia, had been in Cambridge on a 10-week placement studying English.
During his trial, Corrigan, of Holbrook Road, Cambridge, accepted he was the man seen in the CCTV footage and that he had been carrying a knife. He claimed he intended only to scare off any attackers and not to use it.
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Following a two-week trial at Cambridge Crown Court, which concluded in March, a jury took less than two hours to find him guilty of murder. He had previously pleaded guilty to possession of a knife in a public place.
On Thursday, at Cambridge Crown Court, The Honourable Mr Justice Dias KC sentenced Corrigan to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 22 years and six months.
His father, Peter Corrigan, 51, of Vinter Terrace, Cambridge, was also sentenced to two years in prison after previously pleading guilty to assisting an offender on 8 September.
The court heard that he was captured on CCTV at 9.04am on 2 August removing the blood-stained jacket his son had been wearing from bushes in Vinter Terrace and placing it into a wheelie bin. He also helped his son evade arrest by facilitating him hiding at the Holbrook Road property.
Detective Chief Inspector Dale Mepstead, who led the investigation from the Major Crime Unit, said: “Today’s sentence reflects the seriousness of Chas’ actions. He chose to arm himself with a knife and carry it in a public place, with devastating consequences.
“Mohammed was a young man with his whole life ahead of him, and his death has had a profound impact on all who knew him. Our thoughts continue to be with his family and friends as they come to terms with this tragic loss. I would like to thank members of the public who came forward with information, as well as those who tried so desperately to help Mohammed at the scene. Their actions were invaluable to our investigation.”
Following the trial, Mohammed’s family said in a statement: “This has been a very difficult journey for our family. Losing Mohammed has left a deep void in our lives. Whilst nothing can bring him back, today’s verdict recognises the seriousness and brutality of how his life was taken.
“We thank Cambridgeshire Police for their thorough investigation. In particular we are grateful to Lucy Bright and Charlie Sermon for their steady communication and support. We also acknowledge the wider investigation team and those working behind the scenes for their efforts.
“We recognise the Prosecution team, especially Nicholas Hearn and Ruby Shrimpton for their clear and focused presentation of the case. We understand that the legal system here is different from our own, but within the British legal framework, they carried out their responsibilities with professionalism and commitment.
“Finally, we thank the jury for their thorough consideration of the evidence and for reaching a verdict based on the facts presented in court.”
Pain beyond words
Speaking to the BBC, Algasim’s father, Yousef Al Qasim, described the impact of the killing in a statement read out at a sentencing hearing in Cambridge Crown Court on Wednesday.
Al Qasim told Mr Justice Dias: “Instead of witnessing his achievements, I was confronted with the unbearable reality of receiving his lifeless body.”
“I prepared him for life, not for death. The pain of sending a son abroad to study, full of hope for his future, only for him to return as a victim of senseless violence, despite having caused no problem to anyone, is beyond what words can express.”
Algasim’s sister added: “Even now, I cannot comprehend the brutality of what happened. How can someone inflict such harm on another human being in public and without hesitation? The scale of this violence is beyond understanding.”
