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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Life for sword death gang members | Life for sword death gang members |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Three teenage gang members have been given life sentences for killing a 14-year-old boy stabbed in the heart with a sword. | Three teenage gang members have been given life sentences for killing a 14-year-old boy stabbed in the heart with a sword. |
| Paul Erhahon was murdered in an unprovoked attack by a 17-strong gang in Leytonstone, east London, last April, the Old Bailey heard. | Paul Erhahon was murdered in an unprovoked attack by a 17-strong gang in Leytonstone, east London, last April, the Old Bailey heard. |
| Two of the teenagers were given minimum custodial terms of 13 years and one was given a minimum term of 11 years. | Two of the teenagers were given minimum custodial terms of 13 years and one was given a minimum term of 11 years. |
| Two other teenagers convicted of manslaughter were also jailed. | Two other teenagers convicted of manslaughter were also jailed. |
| The court heard Paul was killed by gang members, some aged as young as 13, who wanted to "earn their spurs" in the group. | The court heard Paul was killed by gang members, some aged as young as 13, who wanted to "earn their spurs" in the group. |
| Many wore hoods and masks and were armed with baseball bats, knives, swords and a bicycle chain when they carried out their attack. | Many wore hoods and masks and were armed with baseball bats, knives, swords and a bicycle chain when they carried out their attack. |
| Phone evidence | Phone evidence |
| Paul was stabbed with a seven-inch sword after straying into their path near his Leytonstone home. | Paul was stabbed with a seven-inch sword after straying into their path near his Leytonstone home. |
| An Old Bailey jury heard how he cried out: "You can't be shanking [stabbing] me," as he was attacked. | An Old Bailey jury heard how he cried out: "You can't be shanking [stabbing] me," as he was attacked. |
| Video recordings of news broadcasts about the murder were found on a mobile phone in the bedroom of one of the defendants. | Video recordings of news broadcasts about the murder were found on a mobile phone in the bedroom of one of the defendants. |
| Paul Benfield, 16, and Kevin Adu-Marcet, 15, were given life detention sentences with a minimum term of 13 years for murder. | Paul Benfield, 16, and Kevin Adu-Marcet, 15, were given life detention sentences with a minimum term of 13 years for murder. |
| Jordan Conn, 15, was also convicted of murder, and was given life with a minimum term of 11 years. | Jordan Conn, 15, was also convicted of murder, and was given life with a minimum term of 11 years. |
| These were brazen, shocking attacks and made all the worse because you didn't appear to care who saw you Mr Justice Keith | These were brazen, shocking attacks and made all the worse because you didn't appear to care who saw you Mr Justice Keith |
| Nathan Desnoes, 16, was found guilty of manslaughter and given a detention sentence of 12 years. | Nathan Desnoes, 16, was found guilty of manslaughter and given a detention sentence of 12 years. |
| Theo Diah, 19, was also found guilty of manslaughter and given an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of seven years. | Theo Diah, 19, was also found guilty of manslaughter and given an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of seven years. |
| Sentencing, Mr Justice Keith said: "These were brazen, shocking attacks and made all the worse because you didn't appear to care who saw you." | Sentencing, Mr Justice Keith said: "These were brazen, shocking attacks and made all the worse because you didn't appear to care who saw you." |
| He added: "What makes this so worrying is that a number of you come from what appear to be decent families - so what turned you into the would-be killers that you became didn't start at home. | He added: "What makes this so worrying is that a number of you come from what appear to be decent families - so what turned you into the would-be killers that you became didn't start at home. |
| "There is self-evidently a culture among boys of your age to do with the carrying of knives which needs to be changed." | "There is self-evidently a culture among boys of your age to do with the carrying of knives which needs to be changed." |
| Scott Taylor, 18, received an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of six-and-a-half years for the attempted murder of a friend of Paul's, who cannot be named, in the attack. | Scott Taylor, 18, received an indeterminate sentence with a minimum term of six-and-a-half years for the attempted murder of a friend of Paul's, who cannot be named, in the attack. |
| Benfield, Adu-Marcet and Diah were also found guilty of his attempted murder while Desnoes was convicted of wounding the friend with intent. | Benfield, Adu-Marcet and Diah were also found guilty of his attempted murder while Desnoes was convicted of wounding the friend with intent. |
| Families' 'torture' | Families' 'torture' |
| The sentencing took place on the same day as two other teenagers were given life sentences for murdering 16-year-old schoolboy Kodjo Yenga. | The sentencing took place on the same day as two other teenagers were given life sentences for murdering 16-year-old schoolboy Kodjo Yenga. |
| Outside court after both sentences were passed, Det Supt Matthew Horne said: "Kodjo was killed with one stab wound and so was Paul. | Outside court after both sentences were passed, Det Supt Matthew Horne said: "Kodjo was killed with one stab wound and so was Paul. |
| "We have heard today that five children in each case have been convicted of the killing of both of these boys, totalling a minimum term of imprisonment of 100 years." | "We have heard today that five children in each case have been convicted of the killing of both of these boys, totalling a minimum term of imprisonment of 100 years." |
| Det Supt Horne added: "If you go out on the streets with your friends and you know your friends are carrying a knife and you arm yourself as well then the courts are going to find you guilty as if you had inflicted that fatal blow. | Det Supt Horne added: "If you go out on the streets with your friends and you know your friends are carrying a knife and you arm yourself as well then the courts are going to find you guilty as if you had inflicted that fatal blow. |
| "Think about that when you go out with your mates and one of you carries a knife, so we do not have the torture that two families have had to go through in these trials." | "Think about that when you go out with your mates and one of you carries a knife, so we do not have the torture that two families have had to go through in these trials." |