Overview

• The 20-year-old pleaded not guilty to murder at Leeds Crown Court but admitted possessing a knife in a public place.
• Jurors were told Ahmad Al Ibrahim was unarmed and, at most, made minor contact with the defendant’s then girlfriend before being called back.
• Court evidence described a roughly 6cm neck wound, with CCTV showing Franco wiping the blade, leaving the scene, then later surrendering to police.
• In a police interview, Franco claimed lawful self-defence and said he used an antique keepsake knife, while prosecutors said he had purchased it weeks earlier, filmed himself practicing with it, and messaged about “ching.”
• Jurors also heard he had recently used several drugs, and that Ahmad had arrived in the UK as an unaccompanied refugee and had just begun college.