A construction worker who fatally stabbed a young Saudi student in an unprovoked attack in Cambridge, England has been sentenced to more than 22 years in prison, according to reports from the Daily Mail.
Sentencing Details
Chas Corrigan, 22, received a life sentence with a minimum term of 22 years and six months after being found guilty of murdering 20-year-old Mohammed Algasim. The violent confrontation occurred near the city centre on August 1 last year.
Victim Profile
Mohammed Algasim was attending an English language programme in Cambridge and was spending his third summer in the city. He tragically died after being stabbed in the neck with a large kitchen knife.
Justice Dexter Dias KC described the incident as an act of "senseless violence" driven by alcohol, cocaine, and anger. "Perhaps no one will ever understand why Chas Corrigan did what he did," the judge remarked. "It was literally senseless violence. It was fuelled by alcohol and cocaine and anger. It was a lethal combination. Mohammed Algasim was an innocent member of the public. He had most of his life ahead of him. He was robbed of that and his family were robbed of him."
Details of the Attack
Corrigan approached Algasim while he was sitting outside student accommodation with friends. After exchanging words, Corrigan initially walked away. However, upon hearing a further comment that included the word "centre," he turned back and confronted the student. Corrigan became aggressive, repeatedly demanding, "What did you say? What did you say?" As Algasim stood up holding a mobile phone, Corrigan stabbed him in the neck before fleeing the scene.
CCTV footage shown during the trial captured the moments after the attack, showing the injured student running away in panic while Corrigan walked off before eventually breaking into a sprint. Friends attempted to save Algasim by following instructions from a 999 operator and applying pressure to the wound. However, he collapsed and died the following morning.
Medical Evidence
A post-mortem examination revealed that Algasim had suffered a 4.5-inch-deep wound that severed a major artery in his neck.
Defence and Prosecution Arguments
Corrigan denied murder and claimed he acted in self-defence. He told jurors he thought Algasim was about to "hurt me" and insisted he did not realise he had struck him with the knife. "I didn't think I'd hit him. I just thought I'd swung it. He was a step away and I thought I'd swung it between us," he said during the trial. He also claimed he carried the knife for protection because he had previously been attacked.
However, prosecutors argued that Algasim posed no threat. "Mr Algasim posed no threat to anybody. The defendant was the aggressor here," prosecutor Nicholas Hearn told the court. Jurors took just two hours to find Corrigan guilty in March.
Substance Use
Corrigan had consumed large amounts of alcohol and taken cocaine before the attack. He admitted drinking several alcoholic drinks and using cocaine twice that evening.
Victim's Family Statement
Mohammed's father, Yousef Algasim, described the devastating loss of his son. "I prepared him for life, not for death," he said. "Instead of witnessing his achievements, I was confronted with the unbearable reality of receiving his lifeless body." He added that Mohammed's mother had been left shattered by the tragedy. "She lives as though without a soul, holding on only to memories of his laughter, his presence in our house and the sound of his voice."
Accomplice Sentencing
Following the killing, Corrigan discarded the knife and his high-visibility jacket as he fled. His father, Peter Corrigan, later admitted assisting an offender after helping recover and dispose of evidence linked to the crime. The 51-year-old was sentenced to 24 months in prison.
