A teenager has been jailed for stabbing a man after being ordered to by older members of a drugs gang. 

Baz Tofik was 15 when he repeatedly knifed a man in the legs and arm during a violent drugs dispute in 2021. 

Now 19, he was sentenced to one year and seven months at Norwich Crown Court after admitting causing grievous bodily harm with intent and possession of a knife. 

Six people were initially arrested following the attack that left a man with serious stab woundsSix people were initially arrested following the attack that left a man with serious stab wounds (Image: Newsquest)

He had initially denied involvement but changed his plea to guilty days before a planned trial on the basis that he had acted in fear after being ordered to carry out the attack by an older drug gang member. 

READ MORE: Teenager denies GBH over 2021 Norwich knife attack

Martin Ivory, prosecuting, said the man had taken the knife to a meeting in the Hobart Lane area of Norwich but had handed it to the teenager after a fight broke out.

The victim in his 50s suffered serious and lasting injuries from a series of stab wounds. 

Tofik was arrested after police subsequently found a knife covered in blood at an address in the Trafalgar Street area of the city as part of an extensive enquiry.

Norwich Crown Court was told Baz Tofik had been groomed by older members of county lines drug gangsNorwich Crown Court was told Baz Tofik had been groomed by older members of county lines drug gangs (Image: Norfolk Constabulary)

Parveen Manssour, mitigating, said he had been “vulnerable” and had been “targeted, groomed and criminally exploited” by county lines drug gangs since the age of 14 after being lured in with the promise of an iPhone. 

READ MORE: Police investigate daylight knife attack

“He was told by another male to act as he did. Told to hit him and use the knife on him. He was scared not to,” she added. 

The court was told the teenager had 14 other offences including robbery, affray and two subsequent incidents involving knives.  

Jailing him to serve his sentence in a youth offender institution, Recorder Nicola Fitches said: “This was an extremely serious offence using a knife to stab a victim more than once. 

“I consider a knife, described by the police as large, taken to a drug deal to be a serious weapon and its use could have resulted in more serious or fatal injuries.”