Teenage girl, 17, admits to helping Hiwa Ali-Khani’s murderer after fatal stabbing in Preston

Hiwa Ali-Khani, 27, died after being stabbed in the chest in Raikes Road in a tragic case of mistaken identity on July 8, 2022.

Joshua Boardman, of Holman Street, Preston, was given a life sentence with a minimum term of 14 years and seven months in November last year.

On Tuesday (August 1), a 17-year-old girl appeared before Preston Youth Court having been summoned to attend.

The girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, pleaded guilty to a charge of assisting an offender.

Immediately after Boardman stabbed Mr Ali-Khani, the girl met Boardman and took the knife from him.

She disposed of the knife in a bin before later retrieving it and taking it to an address.

The girl will appear before the youth court again on September 12 to be sentenced.

Det Chief Insp Mark Haworth-Oates, of Lancashire Police’s Force Major Investigation Team, said: “Although the main offender in this shocking case was prosecuted and sentenced last year, we were determined to pursue others who were involved.

“This girl played her part by taking away the knife Boardman had used in the murder and disposing of it.

“We put together the case against her and put her before the court where she will be dealt with in due course.”

Boardman, now aged 18 but who was 16 at the time, approached Mr Ali-Khani as he sat in his car in Raikes Road.

He wrongly thought it was Mr Ali-Khani who had sent messages to a friend of his.

During the confrontation, Boardman stabbed him in the elbow, leg and chest.

Mr Ali-Khani was treated by paramedics and taken to Royal Preston Hospital but later died from his injuries.

A post-mortem showed three stab wounds, including a 12cm deep wound to his chest which proved fatal.

““This case shows the devastating impact that knife crime has,” Det Chief Insp Haworth-Oates added.

“If you carry a knife, or your friends do, this case is a warning as to how things can rapidly escalate into tragedy – resulting in a life being needlessly lost and other lives tarnished forever.”