James Bascoe-Smith: Men who stabbed teen and left him ‘dead’ for nearly an hour sentenced to life in prison | UK News

Two men who stabbed a teenager and left him effectively dead for nearly an hour have been sentenced to life in prison.

James Bascoe-Smith was 16 when he was assaulted last year, leaving him using a wheelchair and struggling to communicate.

Leon Rashid, 20, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 14 years and Taiquane Lewis, 18, was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 13 years.

Rashid was also found guilty of having an offensive weapon.

The judge said it was a “carefully planned attack”.

“You chose an entirely innocent teenager, James who had nothing to do with 410 (gang) and was simply testing a bicycle to make sure it was safe for his mum to use.

“Had it not been for the medical intervention, this would have been a murder trial.

“He is a shadow is his old self and will never be able to lead a normal life again.”

A third defendant, Stephanie Paez-Lopez, 20, was cleared of assisting an offender by helping to get rid of a Range Rover used in the attack.

James was knocked off his bike, which he was test riding for his mother, and knifed by masked men in Brixton, south London, on 23 February last year.

He video-called her from his mobile phone as he lay on the ground and effectively died in the street near his home before he was saved in hospital.