The girl frantically tried to escape the block of flats but Ali rushed at her and pushed her over a balcony

A teenager is facing a lengthy prison sentence after he shoved a girl over a fourth-floor balcony for spurning his advances and stabbed two people.

Yusef Ali, 19, was hosting a party with his friend at a luxury flat in Empire Square East, Bermondsey, in south London on August 4 last year. However, Snapchat video from the scene showed him becoming disrespectful and aggressive during the party.

The victim, 18, arrived with her friends and Ali started making inappropriate advances towards her. He put his hand in the thigh rip of her jeans and aggressively placed his arm around her neck saying ‘this is what I do in the bedroom’.



He became involved in a scuffle with a group who arrived at the party. As they fled he took a knife and stabbed two guests in the melee. The girl frantically hit a lift button to escape, but Ali rushed at her and pushed her over the internal balcony.


Yusef Ali became aggressive towards guests at a party he was hosting (Picture: Central)

She fell 40 feet, breaking her neck and lower back, leaving her needing several weeks in hospital and spent some time in a wheelchair.

Ali was arrested as he tried to leave the building and he has now been convicted of wounding with intent, affray and possession of a bladed article. A jury at Croydon Crown Court found him not guilty of attempted murder.

Prosecutor Kathryn Iyer said: ‘This was a senseless act of violence during a party that went badly wrong.

‘Ali claimed he did not push the victim and did not see who did. But unlike every other person who walked down the steps, he did not stop to look at the victim in distress on the floor, rather he pulled his T-shirt up over his face and left the building just as police officers were walking in.

The girl fell four storeys to the ground from a balcony after he pushed her (Picture: Central)

The girl suffered a broken back and neck in the fall at the luxury flats (Picture: Central)

‘The victim in this case was extremely lucky to have survived the fall. I hope she continues in her recovery and gains a sense of closure following this conviction.’

Detective Constable Tom Waller said: ‘Ali did not care who he injured that night and was clearly intent on harming anyone in his path.

‘Those at the party were left terrified and we are grateful for those who have provided their own witness accounts and had to re-live what happened.

‘Thanks to them and the dedicated work of our officers, Ali has been brought to justice and is now likely to face a significant time in prison.’

He will be sentenced on March 5.