A British teenager has been sentenced
to eight years in prison over the stabbing death of a British soldier
during a nightclub brawl in Cyprus.
David
Lee Collins, 18, from London, was stabbed to death after a fight broke
out in a nightclub in the popular resort of Ayia Napa last November.
The court said that Mohamed Abdulkadir Osman, originally from Somalia, but living in London, was provoked and 'lost
self-control' when he pulled out a switchblade and fatally stabbed Mr Collins.
Tragic: David Lee Collins, 19, was stabbed to
death after a fight broke out in a nightclub in the popular resort of
Ayia Napa last November - the photo on the right is thought to be last
image taken of him before his death
The three-judge bench said that
Collins had confronted Osman and his friends after being punched by an
unidentified nightclub patron, raising a clenched fist at the group and
telling them 'Are you bad men?' - a phrase which the court said is
interpreted in Britain as a challenge to a fight.
The court said that it was a group of friends with Collins - all of whom were soldiers - that started the fight.
The
court also took into account that there was no premeditation on
19-year-old Osman's part since he didn't previously know the victim, had
fully cooperated with investigators and had apologised to the victim's
family.
Sentenced: Mohammed Abdulkadir Osman, 20,
originally from Somalia but believed to have been living in London,
admitted manslaughter at a court hearing in Larnaca on April 22 and
returned for sentencin
David Collins' mother Lisa Minott, arrived at
the court in Larnaca, Cypru clutching a large handbag with a painted
portrait of her son
But it discounted Osman's consumption
of alcohol as a mitigating factor and noted the fact that he had the
switchblade on him inside the club 'carried the possibility of harm
being caused.'
Police searching Osman's hotel room
at the time turned up marijuana, two brass knuckles and 11 switchblades
that the defendant said he bought from a local store as souvenirs to
take back home and give to friends.
Charges against two other teenagers, who were both 17 at the time of the stabbing, were dropped.
Mr Collins, from the 2nd Battalion,
Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, died from a 'ruptured heart caused by a
sharp instrument', according to a post-mortem.
Killed while off-duty: Tributes have been paid
to Mr Collins, second left, on Twitter and a Facebook page has been set
up in his memory
Party: Mr Collins (fourth from right in black and red cap) was stabbed to death after a fight broke out in a nightclub
Scene: The stabbing took place during a fight between four soldiers and three British tourists at this nightclub
He was stationed at the British Army base at Dhekelia but was due to fly to Afghanistan the day before he died and his battalion's mission was delayed.
Mr Collins' mother Lisa Minott and her sister - along with members of his regiment - were in court to hear the sentencing.
MoD spokeswoman
Connie Pierce said the attack took place in an area of the eastern
Mediterranean island that British soldiers are told to avoid because of
previous incidents.
After
the rape and murder of Danish tour guide Louise Jensen by British
servicemen in 1994, the centre of Ayia Napa - a clubbing resort with a
reputation for sex, drugs and violence - was declared off limits to
soldiers by military top brass on the island.
About
3,000 British military personnel are stationed in Cyprus at bases
retained after the former British colony gained independence in 1960.
In
2008, nine British soldiers went on trial accused of trashing a pub and
beating up its owner during a mass bar brawl on the island.
The servicemen, who were celebrating finishing tours of Iraq and Afghanistan and coming home to the UK, were all acquitted.
DAILYMAIL
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