Teenager jailed for murdering two men outside Halifax nightclub in row over woman, as devastated mums pay tribute
4 June 2024, 17:33
A teenager has been jailed for 28 years for the murder of two young men outside a nightclub in Halifax, in an argument over a woman.
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Huddersfield man Rashane Douglas, 19, stabbed Joshua Clark, 21, and Haidar Shah outside Maggie's on Commercial Street in the West Yorkshire town on October 1 last year.
He also stabbed Brandon Coupe, an 18-year-old, who survived the attack.
Douglas was found not guilty of the attempted murder of Mr Coupe, but was convicted of of wounding with intent and given a six-year sentence to run concurrently.
He was also given 18 months in prison, also running concurrently, for possession of a knife.
Read more: November trial date set for man accused of Bournemouth seafront murder of Amie Gray
Douglas stabbed the three men in quick succession, after growing angry that the woman he had arranged to meet in the nightclub was already with Mr Shah.
The woman went home and a fight erupted after Douglas rounded on the three men. He was arrested the same day after handing himself in.
He was charged with murder, pleaded not guilty but was convicted on March 12 after a three-week trial.
After Douglas was convicted the families of the victims paid tribute to their murdered relatives.
Mr Shah’s mother paid tribute to her "beautiful" son and said that she was "destroyed" by his loss.
“No words can ever describe the way I am feeling about the loss of my beautiful son. The emptiness, the physical and mental pain, the gathering of family and friends mourning and the funeral.
“I am destroyed. I am confused. My head aches, my body aches, and my heart aches. No mother should go through what I am facing. I pray no mother buries their child, especially one who was as treasured as Haidar."
Rachel, Mr Clark's mother, said: "Josh has been a constant in my life since I gave birth to him at the age of 17 and I cannot remember what life was like before him.
“Josh was my only child I always thought that not having any other children wouldn’t affect my life as Josh was all I ever needed. He made me whole; he gave me a purpose and was everything and more that I could ever wish for in a son. Josh gave me the proud title of mum, something I will never hear him say again.
"I will never again receive another mother's day card, a thoughtful birthday gift or just a cuddle on the sofa from my loving son.
“Josh was not just my son; he was also my best friend. We would laugh and joke together, with his quick-witted and clever sense of humour, life was so much fun with Josh in it.
“Now my life just feels so empty and dark. My new normal is trying to navigate my way through life without Josh in it now that his life has been cruelly and needlessly ripped away from him by the actions of a brutal killer."
