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| Tomasz Oleszak murder: Leighton Amies, 15, guilty of killing 14-year-old | Tomasz Oleszak murder: Leighton Amies, 15, guilty of killing 14-year-old |
| (33 minutes later) | |
| Leighton Amies will be sentenced in June | Leighton Amies will be sentenced in June |
| A teenager has been found guilty of murdering a 14-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in Gateshead. | A teenager has been found guilty of murdering a 14-year-old boy who was stabbed to death in Gateshead. |
| Tomasz Oleszak suffered an 8cm-deep wound to his chest when he was attacked in October and died the next day. | Tomasz Oleszak suffered an 8cm-deep wound to his chest when he was attacked in October and died the next day. |
| Leighton Amies, who is 15 but was 14 at the time, claimed he stabbed Tomasz by accident during an attack by a gang. | Leighton Amies, who is 15 but was 14 at the time, claimed he stabbed Tomasz by accident during an attack by a gang. |
| A jury at Newcastle Crown Court found him guilty of murder and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to another boy whose coat was slashed. | A jury at Newcastle Crown Court found him guilty of murder and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm to another boy whose coat was slashed. |
| The killer, who did not know Tomasz and lived in a different part of Tyneside, said he took a serrated steak knife out with him on the spur of the moment on 3 October. | The killer, who did not know Tomasz and lived in a different part of Tyneside, said he took a serrated steak knife out with him on the spur of the moment on 3 October. |
| 'If you carry a knife, you're weak' | 'If you carry a knife, you're weak' |
| He had gone to the Springwell area to meet a 14-year-old girl and had been walking her home through Whitehills Nature Park when she alerted him to a group of youths following them, the court had heard. | He had gone to the Springwell area to meet a 14-year-old girl and had been walking her home through Whitehills Nature Park when she alerted him to a group of youths following them, the court had heard. |
| Amies said he pulled the knife out after being punched, kicked and grappled to the ground, but prosecutors said his claim of being attacked was a lie. | Amies said he pulled the knife out after being punched, kicked and grappled to the ground, but prosecutors said his claim of being attacked was a lie. |
| After landing the fatal blow, the killer shouted to the gang: "I've wetted your boy", the court heard. | After landing the fatal blow, the killer shouted to the gang: "I've wetted your boy", the court heard. |
| Mark McKone KC, prosecuting, told jurors: "He wanted them to know he had stabbed one of their number. It was a boast." | Mark McKone KC, prosecuting, told jurors: "He wanted them to know he had stabbed one of their number. It was a boast." |
| Tomasz was a keen footballer | |
| Mr McKone said the group was not "blameless" as they had discussed hitting Amies, but he was the "aggressor" and the only injury he suffered was a minor one to his thumb. | Mr McKone said the group was not "blameless" as they had discussed hitting Amies, but he was the "aggressor" and the only injury he suffered was a minor one to his thumb. |
| Peter Makepeace KC, defending, said his client had been "flailing out indiscriminately in an act of self-defence". | Peter Makepeace KC, defending, said his client had been "flailing out indiscriminately in an act of self-defence". |
| Jurors heard Amies hid the knife in a bush and then messaged a friend saying he would have it "melted". | Jurors heard Amies hid the knife in a bush and then messaged a friend saying he would have it "melted". |
| In a statement previously released through police, Tomasz's mother Kamila said she, his father Patryk, and Tomasz's six-year-old brother were "devastated beyond words" by his killing. | In a statement previously released through police, Tomasz's mother Kamila said she, his father Patryk, and Tomasz's six-year-old brother were "devastated beyond words" by his killing. |
| She said: "Tomasz was an amazing son, a kind and caring role model to his little brother and a great friend to so many." | She said: "Tomasz was an amazing son, a kind and caring role model to his little brother and a great friend to so many." |
| Amies is due to be sentenced in June. | Amies is due to be sentenced in June. |
| He can now be identified after the judge, Mr Justice Martin Spencer, lifted an anonymity order. | He can now be identified after the judge, Mr Justice Martin Spencer, lifted an anonymity order. |
| Mr Spencer said the public interest in knowing Amies' identity outweighed his interest in remaining anonymous, adding he hoped the case would act as a deterrent to other young people carrying knives and committing such "tragic and appalling" crimes. | Mr Spencer said the public interest in knowing Amies' identity outweighed his interest in remaining anonymous, adding he hoped the case would act as a deterrent to other young people carrying knives and committing such "tragic and appalling" crimes. |
| Tomasz and his family moved to the UK from Poland in 2012 | |
| Det Insp Chris Deavin, of Northumbria Police, described Tomasz's death as a "truly tragic case". | |
| He said: "Tomasz had his whole life ahead of him, he was a promising footballer and a popular pupil at his school. | |
| "We want to send an unequivocal message to anyone who chooses to carry a weapon of any kind or believes that violence is acceptable - the consequences can be devastating. | |
| "Look at the pain this tragedy has caused - not only could you take away someone else's future and destroy the lives of their loved ones, but also ruin your own and those of your family and friends." | |
| Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. | Follow BBC North East & Cumbria on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to northeastandcumbria@bbc.co.uk. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Gateshead | Gateshead |
| Northumbria Police | Northumbria Police |