Harun Nasrullah
Two teenagers have been sentencedto life for the racially motivated murder of a 42-year-old father of one in Barry, South Wales, a killing a judge said was carried out “in significant part by racial hostility” and which has left a community deeply shaken.
At Cardiff Crown Court on February 20, Marcus Staniforth, 17, and a 16-year-old boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, must serve at least 17 years in custody before being considered for release.
The pair had been convicted of murdering Kamran Aman in December 2025 following a trial. They had admitted manslaughter but denied murder, yet a jury rejected their account and found them guilty after hearing evidence about the events leading up to Aman’s death.
The killing took place shortly before midnight on June 30, 2025, on Barry Road. Aman had just delivered groceries to his elderly mother and was sitting in his car, preparing to return home to his wife and four-year-old daughter, when he became the target of the two teenagers. Both defendants were from Llantwit Major and had been drinking alcohol earlier that day; the younger boy had also taken cocaine.
From a nearby house where they had been drinking, the 16-year-old began shouting racist abuse at Aman as he sat in his car. Justice Griffiths described him as “volatile and aggressive” and referred to earlier racist graffiti he had painted, including the phrase “where they n****** at,” as evidence of hostility. The judge said the murder was motivated “in significant part by racial hostility.”
The younger defendant attempted to open Aman’s car door. When Aman got out, he was punched and kicked while racial slurs continued. Staniforth encouraged the attack. He returned to the house and came back with a large kitchen knife, which he used to stab Aman in the chest, piercing his heart. Emergency services were called, but Aman was pronounced dead at 1.07am on July 1, 2025. The court heard that Staniforth later attempted to destroy evidence.
In sentencing remarks, Justice Griffiths said, “You both murdered a man you didn’t know. Kamran Aman was a dutiful family man… He was in his car, ready to go back to his partner and four-year-old child when you picked on him and killed him in the street… As well as ending his life, you ruined the lives of the family he left behind.”
Victim impact statements revealed the full extent of the loss. Aman’s wife described him as “kind to everyone and someone you could rely on in times of need” and devoted to his family, adding, “Life for us will never be the same without Kamran… There’s a hole in our hearts that can never be filled… The day he died, part of us died with him. There’s no sentence that will ever be enough for these two boys.” His mother told the court she had been left “upset and lonely” by her son’s murder.
Earlier, after the attack but before the trial, Aman’s family released a statement saying, “It is with profound sorrow and heavy hearts that we mourn the tragic loss of Kamran. A devoted husband, a loving father, a cherished son, brother, uncle, and loyal friend, Kamran was the heart of his family and loved within his community. Known for his generous spirit and kind heart, Kamran brought warmth and strength to everyone he met. His absence leaves an immeasurable void in the lives of all who knew him. As we grieve this unimaginable loss, we also honour and celebrate the life he lived and the impact he made. May his memory be a blessing.”
Detective Inspector Kath Barry of South Wales Police said, “Kamran was a much-loved husband, father, son, brother, and uncle… Kamran was simply delivering shopping to his elderly mother when this unprovoked attack by two people unknown to him took place. Kamran did nothing whatsoever to warrant this. The violence could never have been foreseen and was made even more shocking by the abhorrent racist abuse used before, during and after, all captured on video footage… No sentence, regardless of its length, can replace the pain that Kamran’s family are feeling.”
For Aman’s family, the sentence ensures the two teenagers will spend many years in custody and remain under strict supervision for life if released. Yet no term of imprisonment can undo the loss of a husband, father, and son whose death has left a permanent wound in the lives of those who loved him.
Feature photo: Marcus Staniforth, 17, convicted alongside another teenager of the racially motivated murder of Kamran Aman (right) in Barry, South Wales. (Credit: South Wales Police)
