Teenager sentenced over Rambo knife murder

A teenager “obsessed with knives and gang culture” has been given a life sentence after stabbing another man through the heart with a Rambo-style blade.

Charles Hartle, 18, delivered a single blow to Noah Smedley’s heart during a cannabis deal off Heanor Road, Ilkeston, Derbyshire, on 28 December.

Hartle, of Station Road, Stanley, broke down in tears in the dock after he was found guilty of Mr Smedley’s murder in July following a two-week trial.

Sentencing him on Friday to a 20-year minimum term, Judge Shaun Smith KC said: “Armed with a horrendous-looking Rambo knife, you deliberately and for no apparent reason, plunged that knife in [Mr Smedley’s] chest, caught on CCTV for everyone to see.”

A number of victim impact statements were read out on behalf of Mr Smedley’s family.

His mother Lucy Warner said she was “devastated and broken” by her son’s death and added she has experienced a number of health issues because of it.

“Hartle murdered my son… he is a pile of ash for no reason,” she said.

“We are living in an eternal nightmare.”

Another statement, read on behalf of Mr Smedley’s grandmother, father and brothers, also expressed their “sorrow and grief” at his death.

“Our hearts are shattered into a million pieces… the pain of losing him is crushing us and it does not subside.

“His presence was one of kind and his absence is an unfillable void in our lives.”

The court heard Hartle had an “unhealthy interest” in knives and carried the weapon to show others he was a “big man”.

He was described as a young man who was “obsessed with gang culture” and wrote rap songs about stabbing people – some of which were played during the trial.

On the night of the murder, the jury at Derby Crown Court, was shown hundreds of Snapchat messages between Hartle, three of his friends, his girlfriend and Mr Smedley.

They were then shown a message from Hartle to his girlfriend shortly before he met 18-year-old Mr Smedley, which read: “We’re going to slap him up.”

The court was told Hartle, then aged 17, and his friends arranged to meet Mr Smedley, who arrived at the scene on an electric scooter and sold them cannabis before the fatal attack.

Hartle’s friends, who were unaware of his intentions, ended up providing eye-witness testimony in the case.

Hartle, who liked to go by the nickname ‘Lil Cee’, then fled and went to meet his girlfriend at a house party.

Witnesses at the party saw him confess to her and produce the knife – which has never been recovered.

Hartle then travelled to Derby city centre in an attempt to distance himself from the scene.

Officers were called to Heanor Road in Ilkeston at 20:20 GMT, where Mr Smedley was found by members of the public and died just before 21:00.

In the hours after the murder, Hartle disposed of his clothing, the murder weapon, and phone before eventually handing himself in at Ilkeston Police Station.

Peter Joyce KC, defending, said Hartle had been arrested a number of times for weapons and drugs offences since the age of 13, after being “exploited by a number of older males”, and on the radar of a number of public bodies.

Two members of the public and an off-duty police officer were given High Sheriff awards for trying to help Mr Smedley at the scene.

The officer will also receive a commendation from the chief constable.

Det Ch Insp Claudia Musson from Derbyshire Police, said: “This attack was completely unprovoked and without warning. Noah didn’t stand a chance of defending himself and those who were with him could never have seen this coming.

“In just a split second, Noah’s entire future was stolen from him by Hartle’s calculated and callous actions.”