A cowardly man who murdered the teenage son of his former partner has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 30 years. Suleman Altaf, aged 45, attacked his ex-partner at her home in Miles Platting, Manchester, where her son, Jakub Szymanski, bravely attempted to defend her.

The tragic incident took place on June 9 last year when Suleman Altaf, armed with a knife, entered Katarzyna Bastek's home uninvited. Suleman Altaf's arrival followed hours of suspicious behavior, as he was seen wandering nearby streets wearing a baseball cap, face mask, and gloves. In the attack, Jakub Szymanski was fatally stabbed as he tried to shield his mother.

Following the attack, Suleman Altaf fled to Slough, where he caught a taxi to Dover before attempting to escape via a dinghy in the English Channel. He was apprehended by an RNLI crew the next day and returned to Manchester to face charges.

Mikolaj Baraniak, Jakub's brother, expressed the family's devastation and how the loss has deeply affected them. Altaf was convicted of murder, attempted murder, and possession of a knife. He now faces decades in prison for his premeditated and heartless crimes.

Sentencing him, Judge Patrick Field KC described the attack as "calculated, premeditated and wicked". Jakub Szymanski was hailed as an "innocent hero" who courageously defended his mother.

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GMP report: A Slough man is ordered to serve at least 30 years for the murder of 15-year-old Jakub Szymanski and the attempted murder of Jakub's mum