Preston teenager Joshua Boardman sentenced to life in prison for murder of Hiwa Ali-Khani

Joshua Boardman, of Holman Street, Preston, attacked and fatally stabbed 28-year-old Hiwa Ali Khani as the victim sat in his Audi car in Raikes Road, Preston, at around 6.25pm on July 8, 2022.

He believed Mr Ali-Khani was another man, who he suspected was sending messages to one of his friends, a teenage girl.

Boardman was arrested that evening close to the scene and later charged with murder.

Today (Wednesday, November 30), Judge Robert Altham told Boardman he must serve a minimum term of 14 years and 7 months before he can be considered for release.

What happened?

Preston Crown Court heard Boardman had intended to target another man, Stuart Thornton, who had been parked behind Mr Ali-Khani until 40 seconds before Boardman arrived at the scene.

David McLachlan KC, prosecuting, said the day before the murder, Mr Thornton, aged 35, had pulled over his car to speak to a 15-year-old girl, who he later told police he thought was “pretty” and who told him she was 16.

Mr Thornton and the girl, who cannot be named for legal reasons, exchanged numbers and the following day sent messages arranging to meet, which the court heard were read by Boardman.

Murder was tragic case of mistaken identity

Sentencing him, Honorary Recorder of Preston Judge Robert Altham said: “In reality, the defendant intended he would be the person who met and then confronted Mr Thornton.”

He described the case as “particularly tragic”.

He added: “This attack was carried out in the street, in broad daylight on a summer’s day when members of the public, including children, effectively had to stand and witness a murder.”

Shortly after 6pm, footage showed Mr Thornton parking behind Mr Ali-Khani’s car on Raikes Road.

The court he sent a message to the girl saying: “Hiya I’m there now xx.”

Mr McLachlan said: “Mr Ali-Khani had no connection whatsoever to Stuart Thornton, nor to Joshua Boardman and his group.

“He was simply a man who had been to work and was very shortly about to get into his car.”

He said Mr Ali Khani got into his car shortly before Mr Thornton drove away.

CCTV footage showed Boardman, who had taken cocaine in the hour before the attack, approach and get into the passenger side of Mr Ali Khani’s car.

The court heard Mr Ali-Khani was stabbed in the leg and then got out of the car and ran towards the passenger side of the car.

He was stabbed twice more by Boardman, including fatally to the chest, as they wrestled in the street.

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.

Members of his family became emotional as video of the incident was shown in court.

Towards the end of the video, a female voice could be heard saying: “It’s not even him.”

Mr McLachlan said Mr Thornton returned to the area and witnessed the stabbing.

He did not realise he was the intended target until he rang the girl about 20 minutes after the attack and Boardman answered, telling him: “You see that, that was meant for you.”

“You need to arrest me, I’ve just stabbed someone,” killer told police

The court heard less than an hour after the stabbing Boardman, who ran from the scene, stopped a police officer and told him: “You need to arrest me, I’ve just stabbed someone.”

The judge said the defendant had a “disruptive childhood” and was “particularly sensitive to those around him allegedly suffering sexual abuse”.

But, he said the aggravating features outweighed the mitigating features of the case.

Imran Shafi KC, defending, said: “It seems an absolute catalogue of tragedies that conspired together that resulted in the loss of this young man’s life.”

He added: “I would submit in this case there is genuine sorrow, there is genuine remorse, there is genuine self-revulsion at his actions.”

Judge Robert Altham told Boardman he must serve a minimum term of 14 years and 7 months before he can be considered for release.

He had previously pleaded guilty to the murder of Mr Ali-Khani, 27, when he appeared at court on November 3.

Victim’s heartbroken family speak out

The family of Mr Ali-Khani made the following statement in tribute to Hiwa.

They sauid: “Hiwa was a decent person, with a good personality and he believed that everyone was good.

"He was a very optimistic person and had lots of plans and desires for the future. He was hoping to get married, and he was telling us about the names that he would like to give to his children.

“Hiwa’s murder not only shocked us but damaged our lives forever. He was an innocent person who was killed in a very brutal way.

"His murderer not only buried Hiwa’s beautiful wishes and aspirations but the laughs, happiness, and beauty of our lives with it.”

Police statement

Det Ch Insp Mark Haworth-Oates, of Lancashire Police’s Force Major Investigation Team, said: “Mr Ali-Khani’s death was shocking, tragic and wholly avoidable – he was simply going about his normal daily life when he was attacked for no reason, in a case of mistaken identity.

“The man who Boardman intended to attack was sat nearby in his own vehicle – he witnessed the stabbing and went to the aid of the victim. Although he didn’t realise it at the time, he was watching what could have been his own murder, unfold before him.

“Once again this investigation shows the devastating impact that knife crime has. The incident lasted for less than a minute, but the consequences are felt far and wide. Mr Ali-Khani’s family will never get over losing him – a pain which is even more acute given that he had done absolutely nothing wrong.

"The family and friends of Boardman have also had their lives changed – all a consequence of the decision that he made to take a knife onto the street and carry out an attack.

“Thankfully, the evidence in the case was overwhelming and he pleaded guilty, which at least spares Mr Ali-Khani’s family the ordeal of listening to upsetting and distressing evidence at trial.

“We welcome the sentence handed down at court today. It will understandably never be enough for Mr Ali-Khani’s family, they have lost their loved one in the most appalling of circumstances and now have to live with that void in their lives. Our thoughts remain with them at this very sad and difficult time.”

Reporting restrictions preventing the publication of Boardman’s identity were lifted by the judge on Wednesday following an application from the local press.

Following sentencing, he can now be named and his picture shared with the public.